You Live, You Learn: 2: Life Goes On
by Seanchaidh
Summary: Sequel to S4 Follow-On. This is where the story really starts! Don't ask me where it ends! Part 3 following: it's called One More For The Road. If you've managed to follow the many twists and turns of this story, and its immense cast, please check it out!
1. Chapter 1

You Live, You Learn - Part 1, S4 Follow-On, can be found here: /s/4520733/1/YouLiveYouLearnTrilogyPart1S4FollowOn

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Life Goes On

Part 2 of the You Live, You Learn Series

Chapter 1

She looked across at her husband, asleep in the bed next to her. Every morning she reminded herself how lucky she was to have him here, alive. When they had married, barely two days after they had met, he had been lying in a hospital bed close to death after having lost too much blood. There were others in that hospital then who had not survived. Cloe had lost her boyfriend to some strange illness that still held his brother in a coma. Some of the 'players' of the dreaded game had done themselves and each other so much injury that they had also slipped away.

She got up and dressed, kissed her husband tenderly on his forehead, where once there had been the T that marked him as a Techno, and went out of their bedroom and into the kitchen of the farmhouse where Alice was attempting to cook herself some breakfast and look after her baby single handedly. Aeryn picked up the child, his shock of unruly red hair covered by a small cap Trudy had sewn for him. He was six months old now and his mother still hadn't decided what to call him.

"Need a hand?" Aeryn asked Alice.

"Yes, please!" Alice sounded exhausted, "This little one's had me up since dawn. He always seems to be hungry; when he's awake that is."

"Who's coming up to help out today then?"

"Ryan, as always; Lex and Paul too probably; I think Tai San wants to talk to you about you're herbs so you'll have some help there however, that rules Siva out; and probably some others from the city. For pity's sake tell your man I don't need any more help with the farm work. I don't want to be the cause of that wound reopening and causing him more problems and he's managed to do that twice already since he got it!"

"I know, he just wants to try to make amends, but at least it's nearly all healed now."

"He'll be going down to the city later, I suppose?"

"Yeah, he's got to go and see Patch about his side and he wants to know if there's been any change with Jay."

"It wasn't his fault," Alice laid a comforting hand on Aeryn's shoulder as she sat down with some breakfast for them both.

"I know, but try telling him that, or Cloe or Ebony for that matter."

"Are they still not talking to him then?" Alice took her baby back once she had finished her tea and continued to pick at the rest of her breakfast with her fork.

"I don't think Ebony's quite so bad, but then Jay is still alive; I don't think Cloe will ever forgive him, Ved was so much weaker when he went in, she still believes he didn't stand a chance and blames Mega for giving him the headset."

"Why shouldn't she?" Mega called from the other end of the kitchen. He wandered round to where his wife was seated, put his arms around her and kissed her neck softly, "Good morning, my love."

"Will you take those bottles I prepared down to Patch when you go?" Aeryn asked him.

"If the lady of the manor will let me have the small cart for the day," her husband replied, with a jovial smile in Alice's direction.

"I think I can just about manage that," said Alice, rising to leave the two alone, "When will you be leaving?"

"I'll have an early lunch then head down afterwards. Do you need any help on the farm this morning?"

"No, no!" Alice said, quickly, "There should be plenty of helpers today."

"Ryan's coming up again," said Aeryn, slyly.

"He comes up here to help out, see this little chap and get away from Salene and Pride, that's all. It's really hard for him: he still loves her. He wouldn't look twice at me; he's far too good for me."

"Don't be silly! After all you've been through, you deserve someone like Ryan!"

"We'll see."

With that, Alice left the room and headed out into the sunshine. She had got much closer to Ryan since he had delivered her son, but she was still sure that his reasons for turning up at the farm every morning were just those she had told Aeryn and Mega, nothing more. She was surprised he hadn't asked to stay there, it would save a lot of his time and he could be near the baby and away from Salene and her new life all the time. Perhaps she should mention it to him: he was quite shy and probably just didn't want to ask.

--

Trudy now ran a sort of crèche at the mall. Ever since everyone had decided to leave her holding all the babies when the Technos had been taken over, it had seemed to be a given that whenever children needed looking after, Trudy was the one to do it. Most of the time she had Mouse and Sammy to help her and a few other volunteers. Most often, these would include Hawk from the Ecos tribe: he seemed to have a way with children. Today she was, yet again, looking after baby Bray who, since his father's return had been renamed Zachary, or Zac for short.

Amber was over at the hospital helping Dee and trying to get Bray to talk to her. Trudy shook her head, she knew they would get through it, they always did, but she couldn't see why Bray was refusing to speak to her. He'd postponed the wedding until they could get everything sorted out between them and, so far, that was all he had said to Amber apart from telling her that he didn't want to talk about it until Jay was either there too or dead. It seemed very harsh to Trudy, knowing the truth of the matter as she did, but Amber had told her what she had overheard in the conversation between Bray and Ebony six months ago. Trudy supposed Bray had his reasons for acting as he did and stayed out of the argument. Hearing a noise behind her, she turned to see Hawk arrive.

"You know, you don't always have to come down here and help me out," she told him, "There are only Zac and Brady today anyway, although Mouse and Sammy could do with someone keeping an eye on them!"

"They'll be fine," he laughed, "I just thought you could do with some company, but if you want me to go..."

"No, I never said that!" Trudy said, hurriedly, "I mean, now you're here, I could do with someone to talk to."

"When are you going to come back to the forest?"

"I don't know," her brow wrinkled, "After the Technos raided it and took Brady, they destroyed the place, I haven't been back since and most of our tribe are still in the hospital anyway. Besides, I'm needed here now."

"True," he said, placing his hand, softly, on her cheek, "but, I need you too, you know."

--

Amber's eyes followed Bray around while she helped Dee with her rounds. Things had quieted down a lot since the 'players' had either recovered or, in some cases, died. All those left in the hospital now were people who had been used for other test programs like the ones Alice and Ryan had been hooked up to. Tally, Andy and KC had all been found together, but they were still unconscious and nobody knew what program they had been linked up to. They still hadn't found the prison camp Jack and Ellie had been taken to, and Paul had never found his sister, but they still held out hope. There were so many search parties that had been sent out from the city that surely one of them had to be able to find them. Surely. Dee's voice brought Amber out of her thoughts.

"Amber, did you hear me?" Dee asked, "The next room we have to check is Jay's. Are you sure you want to go in there? I don't think Ebony is there just now, but if Bray sees..."

"No, I'll go in," she said, "It'll give me an excuse to see how he's doing for myself. If Bray asks, I can say it's part of your rounds can't I?"

"Of course."

The two girls left the ward leaving Bray and another helper making beds in a corner. Bray never even noticed them go. When they went into the single room where Jay was lying, Amber was shocked to see how pale and haggard his face looked. She went over to the other side of the bed and brushed the hair away from his forehead. His skin was cold and clammy and his breathing was shallow.

"Oh, Jay," Amber said softly, taking his hand as Dee went about her usual routine, "Why did we have to land ourselves in this mess."

To her amazement she felt his hand close around hers, briefly, then relax again. He opened his eyes slowly and stared at her for a minute.

"Amber?" Dee asked, then, seeing the look on her face and following her gaze, "Jay!"

"Amber, is that you?" Jay asked.

"It's me, I'm here Jay."

"I'm sorry! Tell them I'm sorry!"

"You can tell them yourself, you're gonna be okay now."

He nodded and fell asleep again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Salene paced back and forwards in her new office. The hotel had proved the perfect place to set up the new administration and she and Pride had moved right in. Now there were security guards watching the monitors, in the old control room, and a police force run by Lex and Siva. Salene dreaded the outcome of Lex's current marital 'arrangement'. With Lex being Lex and Tai San being Tai San, it didn't sound altogether weird, with those two nothing ever did, but Siva was a different matter. Siva had been in this position before, true enough, but she didn't mind sharing Ram because she didn't love him; she did love Lex.

It had happened not long after they had managed to awaken Tai San from her unconscious slumber. As always, she had recovered quickly and Lex had been right by her side all through it. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Tai San and Lex were made for one another. The only doubt appeared when Lex seemed unwilling to let Siva go and Siva unwilling to give up the fight for his affections. It was then that Tai San had proposed her 'idea'. This was, quite simply, if Ram had been able to have more than one wife, then why not Lex also?

So far the living arrangements had worked well, although no one seemed quite sure of what the sleeping arrangements were or whether everyone was wholly satisfied with them. What worried Salene was how long this seeming three-way marital bliss could possibly last and, if someone had to go, whom it would be.

The hospital, at least, she thought, was working well. Patch and Dee were doing a great job of running the place and, simultaneously, training up future doctors and nurses with the Techno databases and computer programs that Mega, when he had been here, had given them access to. He and Aeryn were trying to run some kind of pharmacy up at the old farm, which Alice had got running again with a lot of help, mainly from Ryan.

Things seemed to be running smoothly for the time being; even the market was back. The next thing on the list was education, then a currency system. The old school was the place that immediately sprung to mind for the first of the two, but she had no idea how to go about bringing in the second. She sat down at her new desk and told herself to stop being so silly. Everything was fine: things were moving along slowly but smoothly, at their own pace. So why was she worrying so much, she asked herself.

--

Mega drove the cart down into the city. He never thought he would enjoy the country life so much, but he couldn't stand living in the city any more, the thought of bumping into Cloe or Ebony galled him. Out in the country he had his wife, a home, a garden, a working herb garden fair enough, but it was still a garden; what more could he possibly want. He smiled to himself as he answered his own question, he knew what else he wanted and he knew he wasn't alone in that wish. Urging the horse onward he hastened down to the city boundary and on to the hospital. Perhaps today was the day he would get that wish.

--

Ebony cleared away the coffee cups while she listened to her sister. She was still new to this 'being there for her sister' game, but she remembered when Siva had done the same for her after they had got Jay out of the headset, after Ved had died and every time she crossed paths with Amber. She still loved Jay, but she couldn't help wondering who, when it came to the day he woke up, would he rather be with. Every time Siva would tell her to stop being silly: she would say that the whole thing had, after all come up in a 'nightmare' and that that nightmare had been losing her. Ebony had nothing to worry about. Not that that stopped her wanting to see Amber's pretty little face full of cuts and bruises of course.

"I just don't know what to do," Siva was saying when she finally turned her attention back to the matter in hand, "I love Lex, I don't want to lose him, but I don't like sharing him and if I make him choose... Ebony, I don't think he'd choose me."

"You were happy sharing Ram."

"That was different: I didn't love Ram. And besides, what makes you so sure I was happy then - I was terrified of him. I never thought I would have the guts to leave him, until I met Lex!"

"Then girl, you gotta fight for what is yours. I know I would."

"You would take on Amber, one to one?"

"If she ever goes anywhere near Jay again, I will."

"She was his friend too," sometimes, Siva thought, her sister scared her: really scared her, "You can't just jump in and beat someone up because they are friends with someone you care about."

"I can and I will. And I don't 'care about' Jay, I love Jay. He is all that matters to me."

--

Back in the hospital, Jay stirred and opened his eyes. He couldn't see if there was anyone there. He knew that the last time he had opened his eyes, Amber had been there. What was she doing at his bedside, he wondered, and where was Ebony? Had Bray deserted Amber and Ebony deserted him? What if they had made his choice for him. What if he had lost Ebony? Would he ever get her back? All these thoughts confused and tired him. Without anyone knowing he had woken up, he fell back asleep again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Patch dropped the last of Mega's stitches in the waste basket next to him.

"Well doc," said Mega, "looks like your first operation was a success."

"Only just," Patch murmured, still intent on Mega's wound, "and don't call me doc, I'm not a doctor, I'm just the closest thing we've got to one."

"In the eyes of the city, that makes you a doctor."

"Not in everyone's."

"It does in Dee's."

Patch stopped examining his patient and looked him straight in the face. With the amount of time Mega had spent under Patch's care, the two were now close friends.

"But it doesn't," Patch said, quietly, "If anyone understands that I'm not a proper doctor, Dee does. Anyway, I don't see myself as a real doctor, so I don't want to be called one."

"You haven't asked her yet, have you."

"It never seems to be the right time," Patch pushed his glasses up on his nose, "and I want it to be the right time, I want it to be perfect."

"You have to make the time right. If you don't make yourself an opportunity, you might never get one."

"I know, I just don't know how to go about it."

"So how is the side then? All healed up?"

"Yeah. Yes, you should be fine. Just go easy on it for a few weeks now that the stitches are out. Don't let Alice talk you into too much heavy farm work too quickly, okay."

"I don't think she would try it," a grin flashed across Mega's face, "if I get to help out on the farm at all, I get to do the baby-sitting. I think she's terrified of the thing opening up again, especially after last time!"

Patch smiled as he remembered the terrified look on Alice's face the last time Mega's wound had decided to break free of its first set of stitches. The four of them had just been moving back into Alice's farm and Mega had been taking the baby's crib upstairs when he had slipped on the stairs. She always had blamed herself for the accident, even though Aeryn had told her not to. As yet, only Patch, Mega and Aeryn knew how the wound had reopened the first time, up on the hospital roof six months ago. They all knew how lucky Mega had been then and that he probably wouldn't have survived without his wife's knowledge of herbs and their uses.

--

In the main ward of the hospital, Bray watched Amber as she went round the beds with Dee. Paul and Lex's entrance startled them all. Paul had a thick bandage round his right hand and looked in a lot of pain. Lex had his arm round him and shouted to Bray to get Patch, quickly. Doing as he was told, Bray ran out of the room towards Patch's study in one of the old offices. Dee and Amber ran towards where the two boys were standing while Lex began explaining what had happened. It appeared Paul had been clearing out an old hayloft at the farm when he had caught his hand on the edge of an old plough. Aeryn was worried about tetanus and had given Lex a list of antiseptic herbal remedies to give to Patch. As he was talking, Patch and Mega came running up. Lex gave Patch the list and ran through the details again. Patch nodded and led them over to an empty bed, sent Amber for hot water, removed the bandage and looked closely at the cut. There didn't seem to be anything in the cut, but it was a deep one. Before Amber got back with the water he disappeared into his office and returned with a pack of dried herbs. When Amber returned he poured the pack of herbs into the small bowl and stirred them, instructed Dee to give them a few minutes to infuse, then bathe the wound with the herb-water.

Returning to his office, Patch collected a few dressings and returned just in time to see Ebony enter the ward from the main door, on her way to see Jay, he thought. Ebony had been spending a large chunk of every day with Jay, leaving only to have lunch with her sister and usually sleeping in her chair at Jay's side. When Patch saw Siva walk in behind her sister his eyes automatically flicked over to Lex who had not, it seemed, noticed the entrance of his second wife. Siva, seeing Lex and Paul, walked over towards them while Ebony bypassed Amber with a sneer and went straight to Jay's room.

When Ebony walked into Jay's room he was still asleep but much of his colour had returned and his face was not as haggard as it had been. She smiled, Patch had told her he might wake up at any moment and Siva had been so upset she had stayed away a few hours more than she had intended to. She was glad he hadn't woken up yet. Walking over to his side she fixed his hair gently, it looked as if Dee or someone had messed it up earlier, probably just idly brushing it away from his face she thought, then she leaned over to kiss him and jumped back suddenly as his head turned. Not him too she thought. Holding his face in her hands she began calling his name urgently.

"Jay? Jay, can you hear me? Don't leave me. Don't go! Please don't go!"

"Ebony?" Jay's voice resounded in her ears like the sweetest music: he was not only alive, he was awake.

"Jay, I'm here. I'm right here, honey. I'm not going anywhere," she grasped his hand in hers and held it close to her.

Blinking a bit at the light, Jay opened his eyes and started to try to sit up. Ebony helped him sit up and propped the cushion at his back, not letting go of his hand for an instant. Jay lifted his other hand and placed it gently on her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he said plainly, holding her gaze, "I never meant for it to happen, it won't happen again."

He said it so seriously Ebony could only look at him for a moment. Then she nodded her head and summoned up all her courage.

"I need to know," she said, "what exactly happened?"

"When?"

"When you kissed her. Jay, how did it happen?"

"I don't know. I just know that I went to tell Amber that I had decided to go back to the city, she said something, I can't remember what, and then there was silence for a moment and we just got caught up in it for a second, I guess."

Ebony looked straight into his eyes for a second then turned her head and kissed his hand.

"I'd better go and tell Patch you're awake."

"I'll come with you," Jay said, wondering if he'd just dreamed waking up when Amber was there, surely if it had happened, she would have told Patch about it, "I could do with stretching my legs a bit."

"If you're sure you're up to it."

He nodded and let Ebony help him out of the bed and round to the door of the ward. When they walked into the main ward, the gathering of people were still there with Patch and Paul, although Lex and Siva were having a hushed argument off to one side and Bray was watching Amber and Dee bathe and dress Paul's wound while Patch was writing notes on his pad for Paul to read. Mega stood leaning against the wall waiting to take a report of Paul's condition back to his wife and landlady, thinking the latter would be the more worried of the two. One more accident on the farm and he was sure Alice would start calling herself a jinx. He was the first to notice the entrance of Ebony and his old friend.

"Jay!" Mega shouted, causing such a reaction that Paul lifted his head to see what had caused all the sudden movement.

Bray had spun round the instant he heard Jay's name mentioned, his face red with anger, jealousy and hurt pride. Amber had been so startled at Jay's entrance that she had nearly upset the bowl of herb-water and her face had gone deathly pale. Siva and Lex had stopped arguing and Lex was watching Bray with a worried expression. Patch had dropped his notepad and was now hastening over, with Mega at his side, to help Jay over to the next bed where he could sit down. Dee had frozen and was watching Amber like a hawk.

Bray stood watching Jay as Patch and Mega told him he shouldn't be up and tried to help him to the bed. Jay insisted he felt fine and Ebony was all the help he needed. With her supporting his arm, he walked up to Bray and looked him straight in the face. As he apologised to Bray, he felt Ebony's hand grasp his arm tighter as if in warning. The warning came too late as Bray raised his fist and caught Jay neatly on the chin. Seeing Jay drop like a stone, Bray nursed his hand with a sullen, but satisfied, look on his face. Amber and Ebony both screamed, Patch rushed to Jay's side and, with Mega's help, lifted Jay onto the nearby bed. Lex walked over to Bray and slammed him against the wall.

"Nice going, mate!" Lex yelled, "Six months trying to get him to wake up and then, as soon as he does, you knock him straight back out again! What did you think you were doing?"

Bray pushed Lex aside; he wasn't going to be dictated to by Lex of all people. Grabbing Amber's arm he hauled her out of the room.

"Now we talk," he said.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bray hurled Amber into the side room that had been Jay's and slammed the door behind them.

"Why did you say you would marry me?" Bray yelled at her.

"Because I love you, Bray," Amber cried, her own temper rising, "I've always loved you, you know that."

"Then why did you also say you would marry him?"

"I didn't."

"Amber, I saw him ask you and then I saw you kiss him."

"You think you saw him ask me! You don't even know what he actually said!"

"How many things do you usually say on one knee?"

"I don't know. Plenty I expect. All he was doing was telling me he'd decided to go back to the city; to risk death to try and save his brother. I don't know what happened, Bray. One minute he was telling me what his plans were, the next we were kissing. It happened once, Bray. Once. And it will never happen again."

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

"Why would I lie? Do you think if I was in love with Jay, I would have accepted your proposal?"

"I don't know what to think. It's not just that it was another guy, I could accept that: I wasn't there and you didn't know if I would ever be back. It was the fact that it was someone else's guy: Ebony's guy! You know, you two sometimes seem to have a lot in common, not least your taste in men!"

"Bray, I don't know how to make you believe me if you are determined you're not going to, but what I do know is this: what happened with Jay was a mistake. It will never happen again. Not with Jay, not with anyone. If only there had been sound on those monitors, you could have heard that what I am telling you is the truth. Bray, I swear it's the truth, you have to believe me."

"I think I know a way to find out."

"What?"

"A way to find out whether you are telling the truth or not. You said if only we had sound on the monitors."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, what if we got someone to watch it who didn't need sound, they could tell me what happened."

"Oh," Amber realised what he was talking about, "you mean get Paul to watch it and report back to you!"

"Exactly."

"Fine!"

Amber slammed the door as she stormed out of the room. She couldn't believe Bray wouldn't believe her, wouldn't trust her word. As she marched through the ward to the outer door, Ebony watched her with a smirk on her face, then went back to nursing her beloved Jay.

--

Mega left the hospital with plenty news for his wife and the farm workers. He drove back up to the farm with a grin on his face and a light in his eyes.

--

Aeryn and Tai San wandered into the kitchen after a few hours going through the different plants Aeryn kept in her garden and comparing notes on their uses and dangers. Now that the business part of the day had been concluded, the fun part could start. Tai San was easy to talk to, Aeryn had found, although the fact that she could talk about anything was a mixed blessing. Her first question was so direct that it took Aeryn by surprise, even though it had been asked before, when Aeryn had visited her in the hospital.

"Have you moved the beds together yet, then?" Tai San asked with a look that made it seem as though she just asked no more than whether Aeryn took one sugar or two in her coffee.

"No, not yet," Aeryn replied nervously, "Patch said we had to be careful with his side until it healed fully so we're waiting for him to tell us it's okay, Mega's side I mean, Patch doesn't know about the sleeping arrangements. At least, I think he doesn't!"

"How is Mega's side?"

"He's seeing Patch today. Right now probably, or more likely he's on his way home by now. There haven't been any mishaps but I'm not gonna say anything more in case I jinx the whole thing. Are you satisfied now?"

"For the moment."

Aeryn sometimes thought Tai San was incorrigible, but two can play at that game.

"How's life with Lex and Siva?" Aeryn asked.

"Well, I am happy: it was my idea, after all. I think Lex is getting used to it, but I do not think Siva is happy. I think she would give anything to have Lex to herself again."

"You're probably right. Have you any idea what to do about it?"

"I do not feel that I need to do anything about it. I married Lex because I loved him and he loved me. As far as I can tell, that is still the case. The fact that he also loves someone else now does not stop him loving me."

"Tell me something, Tai San. How long were you and Lex together before the Technos came along?"

"Six months, a year maybe, I am not sure. It was hard to keep track of the days after the Chosen invaded."

"Yeah, I heard about them. They took away Paul's sister, Patsy."

"And Ryan, Cloe and Jack. They were also responsible for Dal's death."

"Who was Dal?"

"He was Jack's best friend. He could not believe it when he finally found his way back to us and learned that his best friend was dead. They had parted on bad terms. It was very hard on him."

"I can imagine."

--

Alice walked over to Ryan, her baby on her back, and handed him a glass of water. She took the child's makeshift harness off of her back, cradled the babe in her arms and sat down next to Ryan.

"You know you don't have come up here every day, Ryan," she said.

"I like it up here. It gets me away from the city."

"But you're constantly travelling back and forward between the two," she had decided the 'make him think it's his idea' approach was the best one to take.

"I like the walk. It gives me a chance to think. Besides, I like having Lex around again, we go back a long way and he really needs someone to talk to these days."

"Oh," well that approach fell flat on its face, she thought, why not try the direct one, "But what if you were to stay here instead. Would you miss the city that much."

"I guess not," Ryan replied, after some thought, "But the way things are, I get the best of both worlds."

"Oh."

Alice gave up, for the moment anyway, and changed the subject.

--

Trudy and Hawk were laughing together over some joke when Amber walked in. She felt extremely like she'd just interrupted something and felt a blush creeping over her face. The feeling of embarrassment, however, was not enough to hide the hurt and confusion in her face and Trudy rushed to her side.

"Amber what's wrong?" Trudy cried, "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Jay woke up, Bray hit him, now he's unconscious again and Bray wants Paul to watch what happened with me and Jay so that he can find out whether or not I'm telling him the truth."

The words fell out so fast Trudy had a hard job piecing together what her friend had just said, whilst Amber burst into tears and clung to her for comfort and support. Quietly, in the background, Hawk gathered up the children and led them out of the room to let their mothers have some time alone.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As Mega trundled up the road to the farm in the cart, he thought back to his own wedding day. He had been lying in a hospital bed, close to death, so afraid that Aeryn was only marrying him because she wanted to fulfil a vow she had made once to a madman and was sure he would die soon anyway. He still sometimes felt that old fear creep upon him, even though he told himself she gave him no cause. Now he could remember her as she had been on that day, more beautiful than he had ever seen her. She had still worn her mourning outfit, she had little choice of clothes back then, but her makeup and tribal markings had changed. Her eyes were lined with thick light purple lines with a silver one above them too then the light purple powder shadow and on her forehead there was some delicate silver celtic design with two leaf-like shapes pointing upwards and leading down to one that joined them in the centre and two that were lower down and leading on to another two that joined them in between them. He had asked her if it meant anything but she just shook her head and said she had just made it up and thought it looked right for the occasion. Her lips were purple but with a silvery shimmer and she wore a silver necklace of two interlocking figure of eights. When he had asked her to marry him she had worn that and he had told her it was just like them: two separate pieces locked together to form something greater and more beautiful that either alone. She had laughed and told him to stop being silly, but she had worn it to their wedding just the same.

He could see the farm ahead of him now. Ryan and Alice were sitting talking outside in the sunshine. I wonder if she's asked him, he thought. As he drew near them he shouted to Ryan that he wanted a hand with something, a surprise for Aeryn. Ryan came bounding over and jumped onto the back of the cart. Alice waved and started going about her business again, her baby on her back. When Ryan and Mega arrived at the farmhouse they spotted Aeryn and Tai San through the kitchen window in deep conversation and sneaked in and up the stairs unobserved.

--

Lex waked through the market at his wife's side. He had thought Tai San's idea was a good one, everyone got what they wanted. Tai San and Siva both wanted to be his wife and they both were. Lex wanted both of them and he had them both. Things were just turning out to be a little more hectic than he'd planned. Unfortunately, although Tai San could accept anyone, it was one of the many things he loved about her, Siva could not stand having Tai San around, which made things rather awkward around mealtimes. Lex wondered, if they forced him to choose, or rather, if Siva forced him to choose, whom he would rather have. In his heart of hearts, of course, he knew there was no question whom it would be and he was sure Siva realised that too. He didn't want to break her heart and, though she didn't want to share him, she would rather do that than give him up. He only wished there was some easy way to straighten things out once and for all.

--

Salene went through her list of things to do once again. The search parties were still out hunting for Jack, Ellie and the others that had been arrested at some point or other during the Technos reign. Patch was now not only running dangerously low on antibiotics, paracetamol and other standard medicines, but also on gauze, bandages and many other items for the hospital. The supplies they had found, which had been stockpiled in the hotel by Ram, were now almost gone. The school: well she'd sent some people off with Pride to have a look over the place and see what needed doing; until they got back she couldn't do much with that. A currency system: Luke had run the last one, she wondered where he was and, if he were to return to the city, if the people could ever accept him again.

--

Dee and Patch had just finished binding Paul's hand when Bray came up to them. Dee braced herself like a cat ready to pounce, there was still some of the old sheriff left inside her. Patch put his hand on her arm gently and she drew back. She glanced at him and a smile flitted across her face for a second then was replaced by a worried look as she pointed with her eyes to Jay in the bed behind where Patch was seated. Patch's brow furrowed then relaxed as his eyes flicked to where Ebony was sitting. Paul raised an eyebrow wondering how these two could communicate better than he could without the use of sound.

Instead of having another go at Jay, however, Bray walked straight up to Patch and asked him for a loan of his pad. Writing something on it he handed the pad to Paul. Paul read the script and answered with another short note. Bray nodded, threw a sidelong glance at Jay and sat down with his back to him and waited. When Patch had told Paul he could go, Paul went over to Bray and the two left the hospital.

--

"Amber, calm down," Trudy said, gently, "You won't do yourself any good getting into hysterics. You'll never be able to think clearly if you keep this up."

"I just don't know what to do," she said, sobbing, "he wouldn't believe me, Trudy. Bray would never have acted like this before. I swear it's the truth, Jay never proposed to me, you know it's the truth, but I can't get him to believe me. If he doesn't trust me, how is this marriage ever going to work?"

"He's still not himself, working so hard like that since we woke him in that lab. We don't know what the Technos did to him, he wasn't hooked up to any of the programmes like the rest. He'll come through in time."

Amber wrung her hands, looked at the floor and was silent.

"There's something else," said Trudy, "isn't there."

"I don't know him any more," Amber's voice grew quiet, as if she shocked even herself by what she was about to say, "and I don't know if I can love the person he's become."

"Amber, he's the father of your child!"

"But he's not, I mean, he is but he's not the same person he was then. He's changed, we both have, and what's scaring me even more is that, when he said he thought Jay had asked me to marry him, I knew it wasn't true but," she paused, not sure she wanted to admit her true feelings, not even to the woman who was as close to her as a sister, "I kind of wished it had been."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dee had worked hard that evening. She had left the hospital early, just so that she could prepare the whole thing and have it perfect. She was determined that she and Patch were going to have one proper "date" at least. Depending how well it went they would then take it from there. She had got a rather tired-looking and worried Salene to help out with the meal in return for someone to talk to while they worked. Siva and Mouse had set up the table with candles and everything and it all looked just right. They had also agreed to keep everyone out of their way for the whole evening.

Patch would be home soon, she thought, putting the final touches to her makeup. The girls would steer him up to the room she had prepared, where she would be waiting in her prettiest dress, then they would serve the meal for them and leave them to enjoy it and, hopefully, each other's company. Dee knew Patch would never work up the courage to ask her out, so she had decided to take matters into her own hands. They worked so well together and had got so close in the past six months that she knew he was exactly the man for her, whether he ever asked her out or not. Just as she was admiring her work, Mouse came running into the room to herald Patch's arrival. She looked really stunned to see Dee looking so pretty, like she was a whole other person.

"Wow!" Mouse gasped, "You're gonna knock him dead, Dee"

Dee followed her into the room they had all prepared and stood waiting for her beloved to arrive as Mouse went off to tell the others she was ready. It seemed like hours, but in reality it was only a few minutes before a rather confused and hassled Patch was shoved into the room and the door slammed behind him to the sound of Mouse and Siva's giggling. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Patch turned to see Dee standing before him, more beautiful than he had ever seen her. His jaw dropped into an expression that nearly made her laugh, half with relief. He opened and shut his mouth a few times, trying to think what to say, until he eventually stammered out a response that Dee hadn't dared to hope for.

"M-m-marry me," he said.

--

When Salene eventually retired for the evening, Pride was waiting for her in their room.

"Are you okay?" Pride asked her, "You look pale, and you've been worrying all day. You were up so early, and you said you weren't feeling well, and now you're up really late too. What's wrong? Are you ill?"

"No, nothing like that," she told him truthfully.

"Well what then? You're not having second thoughts are you?"

"About what?"

"About us. You and me rather than you and Ryan."

"No, it's nothing like that either."

"I've seen you watching him, when he's around, that is. You still feel guilty about hurting him, don't you?"

That much was true and as she nodded and sat down onto the bed next to him, she let him pull her close so that she leaned against his side. She had so tell him, even if she told no-one else, she had to tell him.

"Pride?"

"Uh-huh?"

"I'm having our baby!"

Salene nearly fell over when the support at her side was suddenly removed. Standing up and turning to look at Pride she saw him lying flat on their bed, in a faint.

"I hope that's a good sign!" she murmured, raising an eyebrow, worriedly.

--

Lex was sitting in the old control room on the night shift, watching the monitors, when his first wife decided to walk in the door. Great, he thought, and I thought I had a night off too.

"Lex," said Tai San, quietly, "We need to talk."

"Don't you start! This was all your idea!"

Tai San looked at her feet. She had never meant to hurt Siva; that was why she had suggested their current "arrangement". That was why she was doing what she was about to do.

"Lex, I am leaving."

His feet crashed down from where they had rested on the table and his chair clattered behind him as he stood up to face her.

"No!" he cried, "No, you can't! You're my wife."

"I am _one_ of your wives!" Tai San corrected him, "This is not working with the three of us and Siva needs you more than I do."

"But I need you more than I need Siva, more than I've ever needed anyone. Tai San, when you disappeared the only thing that kept me going was the thought, the hope, that you would find your way back to me. Now you have. You can't just leave me again! I won't let you!"

"You cannot stop me going Lex! You know they would not let you put me in the cage. You cannot keep me locked up."

"No, but I can follow you. I'll go with you, anywhere. Tai San just say the word and I will do anything for you. I love you. I would die for you."

Tai San looked at him helplessly. She loved him and she had known that he had loved her, but she had never thought his love for her was so great, even now, that he would give up everything to be with her. As she stood looking at him, puzzling out this declaration in her mind, he strode forward and swept her into his arms and into a deep and passionate kiss that made up her mind for her. They would go. Together they would leave the city and start a new life somewhere without any memories to haunt them.

--

Paul watched the computer recording of Jay's nightmare closely. He had been taught to lip read many years ago and, as long as people remembered that he could do so, there was little need for a pad and pencil. He scribbled on the pad now though, all the same, as he interpreted what the silent lips were saying. When he had been through the episode enough times to be certain of every word, he rearranged all his notes and passed the fully scripted conversation to Bray. Holding the pad under a light so that he could be sure of every word, Bray read the paper. As he read, Paul watched his face pale and his jaw drop. She had told him the truth. She had told him, faithfully, the truth of the matter and he hadn't believed her. He felt absolutely wretched. He leant his arm on the wall beside him and thudded his head against it. He had treated her terribly, the mother of his child, who had waited so long for his return. Now he could only pray that, through doing so, he hadn't lost her forever.

--

Everyone else had left the hospital as Amber stole through the main ward to Jay's door. She hoped that Ebony hadn't decided to spend the night there. As she quietly turned the handle and opened the door she heard Jay whisper a quick "who's there". Now she knew he was awake anyway she whispered back the desired information and closed the door behind her. Turning on his bedside lamp Jay blinked and sat up. He motioned to her to close the blinds at the room window, to stop any of the light from the room waking the other patients, then asked her to lock the door.

"Why?" Amber asked him.

"Because, late as it is, if Ebony decides to drop by and finds you here she would probably tear you to pieces and that is the last thing I want."

Amber smiled, walked round to the other side of the bed and sat down close to him.

"Are you okay, that was some punch Bray threw at you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Bit of a sore jaw but nothing that would cause any lasting damage."

"I never thought in a million years Bray would have done that. Especially not to a sick man!"

"I don't blame him for it, apparently Ebony and he thought we had got engaged or something in that memory they saw."

Amber's eyes flicked to the floor and she blushed.

"Yeah, Bray did mention it. I told him what happened but he didn't believe me. He went with Paul, last I heard, to get Paul to find out what we actually said."

"Paul?"

"He was one of the Mall Rats a long time ago," Amber explained, "He's deaf. I think he can lip read."

"Are you alright?" Jay put his hand on her arm as he asked, unconsciously forcing her to face him. As he watched her face change colour from a deep blush to almost white he put his other hand onto her cheek. It was as cold as when they had taken her out of the frame his old tribe and leader had had her hooked up to so long ago but she felt his touch and looked up, startled, into his eyes. The terror in her face was so obvious that Jay mistook it.

"Has he hurt you?" Jay said, angrily.

"No," she said, shaking her head but holding his hand next to her cheek, "at least not the way you mean."

"Then what is it? Why are you so afraid?"

Why was she so afraid? She couldn't say. All she could do was look him straight in the eyes and hope he understood. As her colour returned, and her fear lessened, Amber wondered what to do. She had to tell him somehow, but she couldn't say it. She couldn't find the words.

Amber shut her eyes as wave after wave of emotion swept through her body. After a long silence, she knew what she had to do and, without opening her eyes, turned her head and kissed the palm of Jay's hand. She felt his grip on her arm slacken off then tighten as she did so. The tears trickled down her face.

"Oh, Amber," whispered Jay, "What have you done?"

--

Aeryn walked up into the bedroom she shared with her husband. He hadn't said a word to her since he got back and she had assumed it to be bad news. When she switched on the light she stopped. Their two beds, which had until now been standing separately, had been pushed together. As she stepped forward into the room, Mega slid out of his hiding place behind a door and put his arms round her.

"Surprise," he whispered in her ear and kissed the top of her head gently.

Turning to face him, she slipped her hand round the back of his neck, pulled his head down to the level of her own and kissed his lips. As the kiss deepened he lifted her into his arms and carried her to their bed, the first one they had shared since their marriage. Now, at last, they could be to each other exactly what they had waited so long to be.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The next morning, Dee went about her rounds at the hospital wrapped up in her own thoughts. Her future husband had disappeared some time earlier in the day with his best friend who would, she thought, most likely be his best man. She knew they were up to something, she just didn't know what and thought it better not to ask and force them to ruin whatever surprise they were working on.

Now she turned her thoughts back to planning her part of the wedding. Who was to give her away? She felt a pang of sorrow as she thought how much her father would have loved to have done so. Brushing away tears, she forced her thoughts back to the matter in hand. Of course, she thought, it was simple really. After having been her boss and colleague, and as she had, at one point, nearly killed him with her attempts at dentistry, surely Lex was the perfect choice.

That settled in her mind, Dee turned her thoughts back to her work just long enough to check one of Patch's patients, then moved on to her bridesmaids. Mouse, of course, would have to be one, but whom could she choose for the other? What about Salene, she thought. No, of course not, she would be doing the ceremony. Cloe then? No, there was no way she would agree to be in the same room as Patch's likely choice of best man, not even for this. Siva and Tai San were both out. If you asked one, these days, you had to ask both. May? No, she was still out with one of the search parties and they'd never been that close anyway. Ebony, then? Not a chance. Of course, she thought! Amber! That was it: she would ask Amber!

Just as Dee had made up her mind that she had picked the perfect entourage for her wedding day, Siva came storming into the ward.

"Have you seen Lex anywhere?" Siva demanded, "I went to relieve him from the night watch and he was nowhere to be found!"

--

Lex and Tai San stumbled through the forest, their eyes blurring with sleep. They had travelled all night, stopping only briefly for a scant breakfast, to put some distance between them and their friends in the city in case any, such as Siva and her militia, decided to follow them. Now they were tired and hungry. Their clothes were torn and their faces covered in scrapes and scratches delivered by unseen thorns and branches, hidden from the eyes of their victims by a cloak of darkness.

Now they were nearing another stream where they would stop, eat and rest a while once more. Lex could hear it bubbling over rocks not far from where they were. When he saw his wife stop in her tracks and drop low to the ground, he did the same. Crawling over to her as quietly as he could manage, he followed Tai San's gaze to a clearing on their side of the bank. There was a camp there already. A fire smouldered in its rocky hearth. An old, covered hammock was slung expertly between two trees. Numerous other old and battered camping items were piled in places around the site. Other than this, the camp itself was deserted.

"I'll go take a closer look," said Lex.

"No," his wife chided, "Whoever this belongs to cannot be far away. Look at all these things, Lex. They must have lived like this since the virus, possibly even before it. No one like that would leave that fire alone without putting it right out, not here in the middle of a forest."

"It looks pretty much out to me!"

Tai San rolled her eyes at her husband's flippancy.

"Trust me," she said, "it is not out."

"So where are they, then? Tai San, I am hungry, I am thirsty and I am tired and I am not going to let the invisible man stand between me and a drink of water!"

Before Tai San could stop him, Lex stood up and strode boldly out into the clearing towards the stream. No sooner had he passed one of the isolated trees to which the hammock was tied, than a foot connected with his jaw and then, having spun him round, slammed him against the tree. Lex looked along the booted foot resting flat on his chest to see the rest of his attacker.

The girl looked about his age, maybe older; no, he thought, definitely older. She wore a black body suit and black slacks along with black ankle boots, with a thick two inch high heel at least, and an olive green shirt that was open at the front like a jacket. She wore glasses but no make up or tribal markings and her hair, though dyed a dark purplish red and tied back sharply in a bun, flamed bright in the midday sunlight, setting off the green peridots studs that sparkled in her ears and matched the oval gem around her neck. The expression on her face reminded him of Ma'am on a bad day.

"Who are you?" she demanded, "Why are you here?"

"We are travellers," said Tai San from the edge of the clearing, stepping up to her husband's aid, "We merely wish to stop here to take a drink and some rest before travelling on."

"If that is the case," she said, without moving, "why must you walk through my camp?"

"Because we're very TIRED and very THIRSTY travellers," bawled Lex, "and if you would let me go we will get our drink, be on our way and rest somewhere else as it's such a problem!"

"Please," said Tai San, "we have travelled all night with little rest. We mean you no harm. Let us take our drink and rest a while and we will leave. We have a little food if you wish to eat with us."

"Tai San!" Lex did not approve of his lunch being shared out without warning.

"Where or what have you run from, to have travelled all night in this forest?"

"We have travelled from the city and we run only from friends who would wish us to stay where we cannot."

"The city?" the girl looked thoughtful and removed her boot from Lex's chest, "Very well, you may stay here a while and I shall eat with you, but I have my own food, you need not over stretch your supplies. I am Cat. While we eat, you can tell me all the news from the city. It has been many years since I was last there."

Very reluctantly on Lex's part, the three sat down to wash, eat and drink. As they ate, Cat asked Lex and Tai San the goings on of the city, who did what and how and many other things until, at last, the day grew old and it was decided that Tai San and her husband should remain at the camp that night and they would talk more that evening.

--

As he went about his work, collecting apples for making cider, pies and other such eatables, Ryan noticed the glum look on his companion's face. Yet another search party had returned last night and, yet again, Paul's sister had not been amongst those returning with them. It had been so long now, since anyone had returned with even any news of Patsy, that Ryan feared Paul was starting to give up hope. He had tried to cheer him up, even promised him first taste of the cider, after Alice of course, but nothing seemed to raise more than a brief conciliatory smile and shrug before Paul returned to his melancholy. Ryan wished there was something he could do to cheer him up, some way to distract him.

--

Amber sat with Trudy in what was now well and truly the nursery of the Mall. As she smiled for her son's sake, she felt like crying inside as she remembered, yet again, Jay's words of the night before. What had she done? She had only gone and let herself fall for a man who would not, could not, love her back. He had told her plainly, at least. That was something, she told herself. He loved Ebony, he had said, and he had sworn to her to be true and he would not break his vow. An honourable sentiment for an honourable man. At least, apart from herself, only Jay and Trudy knew what had gone on last night in that hospital ward. If Ebony ever found out there would be hell to pay!

As she emerged from her thoughts to the sound of the door opening, she saw Hawk wander in and pick up Brady who toddled over to greet him. As the child pulled at a feather braided into Hawk's hair, Amber glanced over at Trudy who watched her daughter lovingly and laughed at her antics. A plan was forming in Amber's mind.

"I'm going to take Zac out for some fresh air," she announced and, picking up her son, left the room and headed up to the roof.

--

Bray stood on the roof with his hands resting on the rail. Quietly he looked out over the city. Everything ran relatively smoothly, there was a democratically elected leader running it and the city was at peace. Every dream he and Amber had fought for seemed to be coming true. They had a working hospital, regular market, ordered police force and a school on its way. And why wasn't she here celebrating with him, he thought? All because he had been a fool; a proud, pigheaded, mistrusting idiot of a fool. He had to find some way to repair the damage. He had to.

Dragged from his thoughts by the sound of the door, Bray turned to see Amber and their son. She stopped, startled to see him there. He had to speak, he knew he had to, but nothing would come out. For a few minutes, the two stood staring at one another in silence in the warm sunlight until eventually Bray managed to find the words he was looking for and they all spilled out at once.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I was wrong to think that of you, I was wrong not to believe you and I was wrong to treat you like I did. I love you, Amber, and I want us to be together. Please say you'll still marry me!"

It was Amber's turn for silence as Bray's honest apology and return to his usual manner took her by surprise. She could feel her breath catch in her throat and the tears burn hotly on her face.

"Bray?" she gasped.

In seconds he was by her side and held her and his son in his arms. They were a family now. The past was past and all that mattered was the future: their future and their son's future.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

May led her small search party down the hill into the gully. They had found a few old outposts of the chosen, now long since deserted, and one of the Technos command posts. The command post had also been deserted but there had been so much information there that May had decided to send one of her fastest companions, Xaviour, back to the city to find Mega and bring him to the post. She and the others with her had travelled on, following up some of the clues the command post had yielded to their untrained eyes.

The sun was sinking in the West as they reached the floor of the gully, where a small stream, the descendent of the one that had carved out the gully itself, flowed peacefully down into a valley below. They would camp here tonight, May decided. Issuing orders and scanning the landscape for ideas of where to go the next day, May spotted the outline of the city far off of the horizon. Perhaps it was time they went home, she thought, just for a while, anyway.

--

Xaviour had cut across country in a direct line from the command post to where they had seen the city high-rises glinting in the morning sunlight. Now, as the day drew to a close, he could see the city much closer. If he travelled through the night he would surely reach it by morning. He wondered where May and her team were and whether they had found anything. Using the last of the light as his guide, he descended the rocky slope before him into a wooded valley. Taking up a large stick he entered the darkening forest that lay between him and his goal. As long as he could keep a relatively straight line, he thought, he wouldn't lose too much time.

Picking the way carefully with his long legs, he wandered through the wood, weaving first one way round a tree, then the other to end up with as straight a line as could be achieved without the light to guide him. Putting the full weight of his muscular body on a stray twig, he heard a loud crack as the twig broke under him, a flurry of wings as a flock of birds were startled from their slumber and a voice.

"Who's there," he said.

"Please help me," said the voice.

--

Patch threw his glasses onto his desk and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was never going to make any sense of this. The books that lay before him were old. So old that he had no way of knowing what was right and what was out of date. Some things in medicine don't change, fair enough, but others do. He was sure he'd passed something about the use of leeches in one of this lot.

The old office had begun to look much more like an office in past months. Since most of the more troublesome, "game"-playing patients had either recovered or, in some cases, died Patch had had more time to search the hospital for resources. He had found some medical supplies and they had been able to start work setting up some more wards, this time properly, but the only things he had found in the hospital library were old gardening magazines, an old and still unread copy of "War and Peace" and these old relics. Great, if he'd been a doctor in the nineteenth century!

Ah well, he thought, at least his search with Mega this morning had gone well. He had found exactly what he had been looking for and it hadn't even been wrecked, possibly out of the respect and sanctity it still commanded. He knew Dee wanted to do things properly, or, at least, as properly as possible, so he was sure she would like his surprise. It still needed some work, Mega was coming down tomorrow to help him prepare it, but he was sure he could get it looking just perfect.

Suddenly, Patch was roused from his thoughts by a shout. A voice he did not recognise was calling for help. Bolting out of the office with a torch he crossed the ward to the main door. A young man was standing there with his arm around a very heavily pregnant young woman.

"Please help us," he said, "the baby's coming."

Roused from his sleep by the same shout that had alerted Patch, Jay now came running across the room, closely followed by Ebony.

"In here," he said, leading them towards his side room "You can use this room. It's more private."

The five hurried into Jay's room and between them helped the girl onto the bed.

"It's okay, honey," Ebony told the young woman, sleepily, "Your gonna be fine now."

Flanked by Ebony and the young man who had brought her, the young woman screamed as the contractions came again. Patch sent Jay to the stores for towels, a basin of warm water and a few other items. By the time he got back, the others had the soon to be mother ready to deliver her baby and were all giving her encouragement and, sometimes conflicting, advice.

Ebony turned to Jay, when he moved to her side and introduced him to the two strangers.

"Jay, this is Nocona and his wife Naduah. They heard we had a hospital running and travelled a long way just so that Naduah could give birth here, in a safe place."

"Can I just ask," said Nocona, gripping his wife's hand as he inclined his head towards Patch, "has he ever done this before?"

It was true, Patch's face was as white as the towels Jay had just brought him, but Ebony assured the two, in her most charming tones, that Patch was the best doctor they had. Jay wondered how long it would be before they found out he was the only "doctor" they had!

--

Siva sat on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chin and turned Tai San's crystal over and over in her fingers. She remembered Lex giving her the crystal after he had recovered from his fever. She remembered him having called out for Tai San during the fever and then, when he finally woke up, he had thought for a second that she was Tai San. It was only when he was fully awake and had realised his mistake that he had given her the crystal, as if it was some sort of consolation prize. Now it was all she had left of him and all it did was remind her of how much he loved his other wife. She felt foolish. She had risked everything for him, but he still would never love her as much as she loved him. He would never be able to love her more than, or even as much as, he loved Tai San. She saw that now and she felt she had been a fool not to see it before.

--

Salene and Pride wandered around the old classroom, picking up chairs and desks and generally straightening up the place as they worked their way towards the cupboard at the far end. All that day, as she had been busy in the city offices in the old hotel, Pride had been persuading her to come and see the school herself. It had been her pet project and now she hardly had time to even see the place. The thought of resigning the post of City Leader grew steadily in her mind. Now Pride seemed to be for the idea too. He had suggested they run the school together, that it would be their enterprise. They would need other teachers, certainly, but together, he and she would run the place just as she had wanted to. He had reminded her what a good job she was doing teaching Mouse to read every evening before the child went to bed and had told her that once she had seen the school and what was in it, she would surely agree.

The cupboard they were now headed to was part of the reason for Pride's enthusiasm. He and his helpers had found a large number of Maths books and equipment in that cupboard and there were numerous other cupboards just like it in other classrooms as well. The cupboards had all been locked and no one had felt like breaking down a school cupboard just to get old text books. Now Pride and his companions had picked the locks and been rewarded with a virtual treasure trove of knowledge. As Salene ran her eyes over the stacks of books, rulers, compasses, spare pencils and even unopened packs of jotters, she felt in her heart that her school was well and truly on its way.

--

Dee left Mouse tucked up in bed and dreaming dreams of being a beautiful bridesmaid at Dee's wedding. She smiled to herself as she remembered Mouse's face lighting up in excitement. If only Lex hadn't chosen that day to disappear - and with Tai San too! If they ever came back now Siva would probably lynch him! Oh well, she thought, onwards and upwards. Now she had to find someone else to give her away. She had to talk to Amber too; she had to ask her to be her other bridesmaid. Best leave that for the night though, she told herself. Everyone had seen Amber and Bray and dinner, there was no doubt that whatever rift there had been between them was now healed. Bray seemed much more his usual self and, thankfully, Jay hadn't suffered too much from Bray's fists. Maybe he had deserved it, but not when he had been so ill. All the same, Dee thought, smiling to herself, she hadn't thought Bray had it in him.

Feeling tired herself, she headed up to her room just up the corridor. The dress she had worn the night Patch had, rather unconventionally, proposed to her now had pride of place on a good hanger at a separate part of the rail. She brushed it down, lovingly, as she went about readying herself for sleep. Almost as soon as her head had touched the pillow, she sat bolt upright to the sound of the Mall's alarms ringing out loud. Someone had tried to enter the mall and been caught in the gate. Hurriedly pulling on some clothes she raced out of her room to see who the intruder, or intruders, were.

--

As Aeryn lay in her husband's arms, listening to him tell her, in his quiet, gentle tones that she loved so well, all the news from the city about Dee and Patch's engagement, about Patch asking him to be best man at the wedding, about the surprise he and Patch were working on for that wedding and about Lex and Tai San's disappearance, she felt she should be feeling perfectly happy. Something tugged at the back of her mind, however, and she felt there was something big on the way. She could feel it as if it were a storm gathering, about to break. Things were about to change; she didn't know how and she didn't know whether the change would be bad or good, she just knew it would happen.

--

On the other side of the forest, a group of escapees from a Techno prison camp headed towards the city, led by the young man who had got them out of there.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"What makes you so sure," yelled a young woman, of about Jack's age, "that we are not walking right back into a trap!"

"Look at all the Techno places we passed on the way here," Jack yelled back, "If the Technos were still around do you think they would have left them like that? Do you really think I would lead you all the way here just to get us caught by the Technos again?"

"How do we know you don't just want revenge?" the girl shouted, "We all know what Ellie meant to you. We all saw you go nuts when she was killed."

"Hey, that is not why I'm here! I loved Ellie, more than I've ever loved anyone, but that still would not make me knowingly put all of you at risk!"

"Skye, he's right," said another young man, gently putting his hand on the girl's arms to comfort her, "You know he is. And even if the Technos were still in the city, it's still the best place for us. If Jack says he can get us to the Mall without anyone knowing until we're in there, then that's good enough for me."

Skye fell silent, but still glowered at Jack from the other side of their campfire. There were others in the group that shared her doubts, but they respected Jack for getting them out of their prison and wouldn't question him. What hurt her most was that her boyfriend, Slade, did not share her view. She knew, deep down, he was right, but she had hoped for a bit of support at least.

Jack sighed and wandered off to one side, lost in his own thoughts, remembering how his Ellie had died. It hadn't been long after she had joined them at the camp, but she was already known to the guards as the girl who nearly blew up Ram and wasn't given any breaks. He knew he should have supported her more. He knew she had nearly lost her mind when he had been taken. Every day he blamed himself for not protecting her, for not doing something that would have prevented her death, but even more he blamed the Technos. He hated them for putting her in there with him and he hated them for taking her away from him again with that fatal finality that made his guts turn. Maybe he had turned a bit mad after she died, after they shot her, but it was Ellie's death that had spurred him to get these people out of there, to lead them back to the Mall the safest way he knew how.

He had wanted to be the means to the end of the Technos, but he had been stuck in that prison camp so long that someone had beaten him to it. Whoever that had been, they had done a good job. On their way to the city, they had passed four Techno outposts, all of them abandoned. There was a rumour that Ram had been killed by just one man. He wished with all his might that he could meet that man and thank them from the bottom of his heart.

Slade looked down at his girl, Skye. She lay sleeping now, her face turned on its side towards the warmth of the fire, hiding the celtic tribal marking on her left cheek and letting the firelight sparkle off of the silver stripe through her right eye. One hand clutched her now dirty white jumper round her so that the zipper was almost completely hidden by the arm that held it. Beneath the jumper he could see the blue strands of the string top she always wore and beneath that, her bare skin. Laying himself down next to her, he placed his arm, gently, over her exposed flesh, kissed her dark hair, closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

--

Mega woke late the next morning. He felt the lack of his wife's head near his chest and sat up sleepily. What time was it, he wondered. He heard Aeryn singing softly from outside the window and knew she must be in the herb garden, working. Pulling on his old Techno uniform, he had no wish to get anything else covered in soil and was anything but a tidy gardener, he made his way down to help her. When he reached the herb garden however, he found that his wife was not alone, there was another young man in the garden who currently seemed to be taking up much more of her attention than her husband normally would.

"You know you'd make a wonderful mother," he told her, walking over to where she stood cradling Alice's son and kissing her neck gently.

"She's thinking of calling him Mikey," Aeryn told him, ignoring his last comment, "What do you think?"

"You know I'm right."

"Personally, I think he's more a David, or a Dennis. What about Denver?"

"Aeryn, why won't you talk to me about this?"

"I think it's a bit chilly for him out here though. I'd better take him in to his mother."

As she turned to go, Mega sighed. It wasn't the first time they had had a conversation like this. He was absolutely certain it wouldn't be the last, but he wouldn't drop the subject until Aeryn decided to talk to him about it. No matter how much she tried to avoid it.

"By the way," she called back to him, "weren't you meant to be helping Patch with something."

Of course, he thought, he knew there was something he was supposed to do today. Rushing out of the herb garden, he raced down to the hospital without even stopping to change his clothes.

--

Dee got her old leader some breakfast before she left for the hospital: she hadn't just been surprised by Moz's arrival at the mall the previous night, she had been shocked to see her old friend's appearance. Moz was thinner and weaker than Dee had ever seen her, which was possibly the only reason the other Mall rats had let her in and not sent her off to her old tribal residence without letting her cause them any more trouble.

"I think you should come down to the hospital with me," Dee told her, "and let Patch check you out."

"So the rumours were true," Moz murmured, "You did manage to get a hospital running. Who's Patch? Is she a nurse?"

"HE is a doctor," said Dee, indignantly, then adding rather quietly: "Or at least the closest we've got."

"What happened to your old uniform. Have all the Mozzies decamped?"

"No, just me. I was deputy sheriff for a while, then sheriff, then I joined the Mall Rats."

"Sheriff? What happened to Lex? Come up against someone he couldn't charm or bully did he?"

"Nope, just got caught running a scam."

"Sounds like the Lex we all know and love. So where is he then? Busy stitching up his next victim?"

"I don't know, no one does. He disappeared yesterday with Tai San."

"So she's back. Lex must be pleased!"

"Yeah, but Siva isn't."

"Would that be the ex-Techno girl who looks ready to kill the next living thing she sees?"

"Yup. You've met then."

"I saw her this morning. What's her deal?"

"She's Lex's other wife."

"Oh boy, Lex sure has gotten in too deep with this one. Did she know about Tai San?"

"Yeah, it was after Tai San got back that she suggested that Lex keep both his wives and Siva agreed to it all."

"And now Lex has changed his mind."

"Looks like it."

"Typical Lex!"

"Yeah."

Dee looked down at her hands with the last comment. Watching her closely, Moz jumped to the wrong conclusions.

"You didn't have a thing for him did you?" Moz laughed.

"Who?"

"Lex, of course!"

"Oh! No. It's just," Dee paused, wondering if this would be her perfect opportunity to break the news to her friend that she could never rejoin their all-women tribe, "I wanted Lex to give me away."

"Give you away?"

"At my wedding. Patch and I are engaged."

--

Knuckling sleep out of his eyes, Lex sat up. His back ached and his neck was stiff from his first nights sleep in the forest. Massaging the back of his neck, he looked around for Tai San in the hope she would take over. Seeing her sitting by the fire, talking to Cat, he got up and stumbled over to them.

"Babe, can you do something about this knot in my shoulders," Lex said as he lowered himself to the ground beside them, "I forgot how much I hated sleeping rough."

Cat smirked as if to say "wimp" and wandered off to her packs. Tai San turned her husband round, shoved him flat on his face and proceeded to knead his shoulders. Picking her moment with expert timing, she decided to tell him what the two girls had been talking about.

"Cat wants us to take her to the city."

"No way, babe."

"We don't have to take her all the way in," said Tai San, diplomatically, "just far enough to point her in the right direction for the mall or the hospital. She says she admires what they're trying to do and wants to help."

"And what if we bump into someone on the way, like Bray or Ryan," here Lex paused, "or Paul. What if we bump into Siva! I doubt she's gonna welcome us back with open arms!"

"Well, we'll just have to try and avoid that. Cat's new to this area, she doesn't know the city or where it is, it would take her ages to find it from here on her own."

"I don't know."

"I do."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Xaviour, after instructing the girl to call him Zed, he hated the way May always used his full name, had carried the girl all the way to the city. Her leg was badly hurt, she had slipped into a gully he had been passing and snapped her left shin bone so badly that the bone had been protruding through her torn blue jeans. Zed had taken the scarf that he always wore round his left arm and bound her leg with it. The pain had made the girl pass out and she had stayed that way for a good few hours. When the sun had risen to light their way he had seen that his scarf was now heavily stained an even deeper shade of red than it had been before. This kid was losing a lot of blood. Her face was white and she was still unconscious.

Hurrying through the city streets, with his charge cradled in his strong arms, he reached the hospital only a few hours after sunrise. Finding Patch asleep at his desk, his head resting on a pile of books, Zed woke the would-be doctor and led him to where the girl now lay on one of the more secluded beds in the main ward. Patch pulled an old screen round the bed and went to get some books. Where was Dee, Patch thought, I'll need help with this and lots of it.

As he re-entered his office, Patch's gaze fell on Jay, sleeping in a corner with Ebony curled up in his arms. Once again, Patch's thoughts flew to Dee, wishing he could have the privilege of waking up with his arms around the woman he loved. With a shrug he grudgingly woke the two. They had been inseparable since they had told Jay of his brother's death. Instructing them to get several things from the stores and meet him at the girl's bed Patch went back to looking for his book. Having located the elusive article, he returned to Zed and the girl.

"What's her name?" Patch asked Zed.

"Helena," Zed answered.

"I'm gonna need you're help."

"No problem."

When Jay and Ebony joined them, the four began the difficult and, had the girl been awake, painful process of straightening the leg. Patch's main worry had been trapping or, even worse, severing an artery. He was glad the only person he'd had to transfuse blood into was Mega and had no wish to give himself another chance to practise those skills. Thankfully there was no need and the girl's leg went back into place with a sickening scrape that nearly made him throw up and, in a rare show of weakness, made Ebony faint.

Leaving Jay to tend his beloved, Zed and Patch cut the leg of Helena's jeans up to the knee. Having then dressed the wound, they bound the leg, tightly, to a splint. By the time they were through, Ebony had come round and was looking extremely sheepish. Seeing the chance for a quick getaway now that the main part of the work was done, she announced she was going to check on Naduah and the baby.

"A girl brought in late last night by her man," Patch said in answer to Zed's questioning glance, "They're not from the city, they came here because they heard we had a hospital so that Naduah could give birth."

"Yeah," added Jay, "and they got here just in time too!"

"Why don't you go with Ebony, Jay," said Patch, "I can finish up here no problem. The worst is over."

Jay obediently rose and followed Ebony. Patch looked at Helena's face. It was still pale, he thought, but not too pale; there was some colour coming back. He took her pulse: it was weak, but strong enough to give him a good deal of hope. He smiled as he drew the blanket up over the girl and filled out her charts. As he did so, Zed remembered the main reason for his return to the city.

"Is Mega around?" Zed asked Patch.

"Not yet but he should be. He's supposed to be helping me with something. Do you want to wait? He shouldn't be long: he's already late!"

"Not like him!"

"No," Patch smiled, "But he often has other things on his mind these days."

--

When Ebony knocked gently on the door to what had been Jay's room, she was greeted by a quiet "Who is it?". She called back that it was her and was told to enter. When she went into the room, Naduah was sitting up in the bed, feeding her daughter, whilst the child's father sat, sound asleep, in a nearby chair. Ebony watched Naduah's fingers gently trace the contours of her daughter's face. It must be so hard, she thought, to create something so beautiful and not be able to see what you've made.

Like many others, it had taken her a while to notice Naduah's blindness, she hid it so well, but the dark glasses when she had arrived at night time had put the question into Ebony's mind and she had, eventually, asked it. Naduah had not always been blind, it had been her punishment for leading a resistance, in the mines, against the Chosen. As another part of her punishment, before they had blinded her the Chosen had made her watch the death of the rest of her tribe. Nocona had been the leader of another tribe whom the Chosen had captured and sent to work for them. He had followed her in the resistance and, when she had received her punishment, had been the only one willing to be seen alone with her. Only Nocona's love for her had pulled her through that time and, not long after, they had married.

When Jay entered, Naduah had finished feeding her daughter and had handed her to Ebony, who was standing, cradling the babe and looking down on her lovingly. Jay took one look at her face and something in the back of his mind said "Oh boy, now she's done it!"

--

Mega raced down the hill and into the city, still dressed in his old Techno clothes. When he finally reached the hospital it was six hours after sunrise, one hour after Zed had decided to wait for him there. Running to Patch, he apologised for his lateness. Patch waved the apology away and pointed out Zed to Mega. Going over, Mega caught his breath before his messenger.

"May sent me, I'm from the fourth search party," Zed began, "We've found a Techno base that could yield much information, but we can't access the files to get at it. I've been sent to take you to it."

"We'll go by the farm," said Mega, after a moment's pause, "I'll need to collect a few things."

Apologising again to Patch, Mega found himself walking swiftly back up the road he had just ran down. When they reached the farm, he told Aeryn what was happening while he packed up some food and water for the journey and gathered a few of his old technical gadgets he was sure he would need. After leaving his wife with no more than a swift kiss goodbye, Mega turned to Zed and started on their road.

--

Lex wandered downstream to a point where the water gathered into a deep pool. Pulling off his shirt, boots and trousers he waded into the cool water. It stung him where there were still open cuts, but his wife had told him he had to take a bath or they would just get infected and sting even more. Reluctantly, he had agreed and had been pointed towards the bathing spot. He still hadn't seen anything of Cat since breakfast, but he'd noticed her bow and arrows were gone so presumed she was out catching their lunch.

Lying back in the water, he closed his eyes and let his body get used to the cold. He was just swimming over to the bank when he heard a voice, Cat's voice.

"Well now there's a thing I never thought I'd see," she mused, quizzically, from her perch in a nearby tree.

"There's more of me underwater if want to come join me, babe!" Lex shot back.

"Actually, I was talking about you taking a bath, not just you with no shirt on, Lex. Oh, and don't call me "babe"!"

"What would you like me to call you?"

"Give it up, Lex," she warned, "You're really not my type!"

"Aw, hey, if you're worried about Tai San don't be. She doesn't need to know."

"Like I said Lex, you're not my type."

With that, Cat dropped lightly down out of the tree and wandered off again, her bow and quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder.

"Good hunting!" Lex called after her, hoping there would be a good lunch waiting for him if he was going to risk his neck, or perhaps another part of his anatomy depending whether they met Siva or not, in leading Cat to the city.

--

Jack and his gang of followers marched through the forest towards the city. Perhaps they would reach the edge of the forest by nightfall, he thought. He never was good with time these days: ever since Ellie had died, all the days, all the hours, had melted into one. Lost in his thoughts, a day may pass in what seemed like a few seconds. Deprived of them, minutes seemed like hours. Now, the people he had worked so hard to free were turning against him. Had Skye been right? Was he only leading them back to the city in the hope of being able to personally put an end to the Technos and avenge Ellie's death? He couldn't tell.

Every time he thought about it the memories came flooding back. Their first kiss; how he and Dal had argued and fought over her; how he and she had worked on the Amulet together; how he had been taken away from her once, found her again only to lose her to another man then, when he had left her she had turned back to him again. He hadn't believed she was sincere, he had thought it was just the grief of losing Luke. How much he hated himself for that. He had been so wary of her, kept her at a distance when she needed him most, then gone on that stupid mission with Ebony and been taken from her again. Then what had she done? She had tried to kill Ebony for getting him captured and landed herself in the same prison with a reputation for trying to kill Ram! It was all his fault. He had lost her forever now and it was all his fault. He heard Slade beside him, calling his name, and pulled himself out of his melancholy.

"Jack," Slade said, "Jack, are you alright?"

"Yeah," he answered, brushing away the tears he now realised were rolling down his face, "I'm fine. What's up?"

"Well, look."

Following his friend's gaze, Jack saw a young man, with glasses, dressed in a Techno uniform, following another young man dressed in black. Although he couldn't tell if the latter was also a Techno, Jack recognised the other as Mega, one of Ram's elite. So, he thought, one of them's escaped has he? Well, let's just see about that!

His heart burning with rage for his lost love, Jack told the others to stay where they were and, quickly followed by Slade, crept closer to where the two were picking their way through the forest. Jack, seeing now that the other was not a Techno, just, as he thought, a sympathiser, he told Slade to take the unknown man while he went straight for Mega.

Quietly creeping round to attack from behind, Jack and Slade had the advantage for a while, but a misplaced foot gave their presence away. Stopping suddenly and looking about them Mega and Zed called out in case there were any more wounded in these woods. As soon as they had done so, and had their backs to them once more, Jack and Slade charged.

For all that he was still skinny thanks to the sparse meals dished out in the prison camp, the full force of Jack's rage and pain sent him careening into Mega, knocking him flying. When he started to rise again, Jack's fist met the side of his face and sent him backwards once again. Quickly regaining his senses before another blow hit him, Mega dodged out of Jack's way and tripped him. Stumbling, Jack caught his balance against a tree then charged straight back at Mega, fists flying. As the fight continued, the light faded, hiding them from their opponents.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

With the last of the light to guide his hands, Jack fixed his fingers around Mega's throat, determined not to let go. He didn't notice the pain in his back and limbs, only the pain in his heart as he remembered Ellie and sought to avenge her. Love and rage had given him strength, he wasn't going to waste it by missing an opportunity like this. He couldn't hear the voices behind him. He didn't know that Slade and his opponent had ceased their quarrel and discovered their mistake, his mistake. All Jack knew was that before him stood a Techno and his life was in Jack's hands.

Realising that his friend had been caught in a berserk fit of fury, Slade grabbed Jack's arms and pried them away from Mega's throat. The tears had returned to Jack's face and stung a cut across his cheek. He screamed at Slade madly for stopping him and struggled to get free of his friend's grasp, but Slade held him tightly, waiting for the madness to pass. When Jack finally ceased his struggle and broke down, falling to his knees and clawing at the ground in the process, the rest of their band had joined them. Even in the moonlit darkness, it was clear that Skye was glaring at Slade with a look that said "I told you so". Slade silently glared back and Skye shook her head and returned to the main part of the group. Slade turned back to Jack, who had grown quiet and was kneeling, staring mournfully at the dark earth.

"Jack," he said, but Jack never moved, "Jack, do you hear me?"

"Why did you stop me?" Jack moaned.

"You have no quarrel with this man; no right to his life."

"I have every right. He is a Techno. A Techno murdered my Ellie. An eye for an eye, a life for a life."

"You're talking crazy, Jack, and you know it. But this man isn't a Techno, not any more, he helped in the fight against them. Zed here explained everything to me: without this man the raid on the hotel would have failed and the Technos would still be in power."

"How can that be, he is dressed as one of Ram's closest followers. I remember seeing him, he was one of Ram's highest. One of the elite."

"So was Jay," Mega gasped, regaining his voice at last, "and Ved. Ved died to defeat Ram."

"He's dead? Poor Cloe. I never liked him much, but I think she did."

"They were in love. It was Ram's treatment of Cloe and Jay that made Ved turn against him totally. He risked his life for Cloe then, when Ram realised he could no longer trust him, got himself locked into reality space. When we got him out he did the same for his brother. We got Jay out, but Ved was too weak. He died in hospital not long after. Cloe was at his side all through it," Mega's brow furrowed as he spoke, "I think she still blames me for letting him go after Jay. She probably always will."

"How long has it been?"

"Just over six months."

"Is everyone else okay?"

"Mostly. Do you know the way to the farm from here?"

"Yes."

"Go there tomorrow. Alice will fill you in and my wife, Aeryn, will clean up those cuts and bruises you've got. I have to go. Zed and I have work to do."

Too tired too ask any more questions, and now feeling the aches and pains of the fight, Jack simply nodded and let Slade lead him over to where the others had made camp for the night. Slade looked over to Mega and Zed and asked them to join them, but Mega shook his head and replied that they had to be on their way.

"You know, we should get your neck seen to," said Zed.

"No, I'm fine," Mega replied, running his hand over the old wound in his side to check it, "We need to reach the post as soon as possible. Once we're there we can worry about what state we're in."

--

Lex, Tai San and Cat had travelled most of the afternoon. When the darkness caught up with them they were still within the forest. Lex, amazed at how so much could be packed and carried in the old rucksack Cat had strapped to her back when they left, was again amazed when the packed articles were quickly unpacked and put into use with practised ease. The full length black coat which Cat had worn all through their march, was used as a blanket for the top of the bed. Several other items also appeared to have double, or even triple uses. He turned to his wife, who had busily prepared their simple camp, and started to ask whether or not it would be a good idea to simply point Cat on her way and go on their own. It seemed to him that no matter how many times he tried to get away from the city, something or someone, usually Tai San, would drag him back to it again. His wife guessed his mind, however, and the question was never asked.

"Don't even think it," she said when he called her name, how did she do it, he thought, "We are taking her all the way to the Mall. At least, I am. If you really don't want to come along you can suit yourself."

"No way, babe," Lex started, wagging his finger at her, "You are not going back there by yourself."

"I won't be by myself Lex. Cat will be there."

"You know what I mean. I am your husband and I say you are not going back to the city without me."

"Then you'll just have to come along, won't you."

He was trapped. He knew it. She always got him this way. There was no use arguing. When Tai San wanted him to do something he would, invariably, end up doing it. Letting his hands fall to his sides, he sighed and slumped back against a nearby tree. Eventually he would figure out a way to beat his wife at her own game, but not this time.

--

Dee hovered nervously behind Patch as he checked over the fidgeting Moz before beginning his morning rounds. It had been a whole day now since she had arrived and she was not as pale as she had been, although she was still painfully thin. Dee had been giving her extra food over the past day and, although she thought Trudy had noticed that morning at breakfast, just before they came to the hospital, she was sure she didn't mind and wasn't going to make a fuss.

Dee hadn't told Patch he was being judged on his performance. She knew it would only make him nervous if he knew who Moz was. Amber, who had come down with Trudy and their two children to see Naduah and tell her about the nursery, crept up behind Dee and whispered over her shoulder.

"He'll be fine," she said, making Dee jump slightly, "Just leave him to it. Come on, let's go talk somewhere. You said you had something to ask me."

Dee let Amber lead her out of the ward into one of the corridors; the same corridor in which Ved had died and, about the same time, Alice's son had been born. As they walked Dee played nervously with her fingers, wondering how to go about asking the question.

"You know how Patch and I are getting married?" Dee began. Amber nodded in reply. "Well, I was wondering if you would be one of my bridesmaids. Sort of maid of honour?"

"Well now, that would be out of the question I'm afraid," Amber teased. Seeing the worried frown on Dee's face she smiled and continued, "if you'll have me as your matron of honour, then sure, but I'm no maid any more. Remember, I _am_ a mother and as good as married myself."

Dee grinned and hugged Amber. She'd never really been sure of the difference between a bridal maid or matron of honour. Now of course, it clicked.

"Who else is taking part?" Amber asked when they parted.

"I've asked Mouse to be my other bridesmaid. I _had_ hoped that Lex would be able to give me away, but he's gone and vanished. Typical!"

"There's still some Mozzie in you yet, I see. Well, don't worry, Lex has tried to escape this city loads of times but he always ends up right back where he started. He'll be back soon enough and if we have to we'll lock him in the cage until your wedding day to keep him here!"

Laughing, they made their way back down the corridor to the main ward to see whether Patch had survived his trial or Moz had decided to regain her lost weight by eating him alive. As they entered the ward, Amber went back to Naduah's room and Dee hastened over to where Patch was standing with Moz and his notebook.

"Apart from being severely underweight, she's fine," Patch told his fiancée as she joined them with a questioning look.

"It wasn't Moz I was worried about!" Dee laughed. Patch's face paled.

"This is Moz?" he said in Dee's ear, "The Moz? Your former leader Moz?"

"I'm still here you know," Moz reminded him.

"Uh. Um. Yes. Well," Patch started stuttering and stammering as badly as he had when he first tried to tell Dee how he felt.

"It's okay," Moz chided him, "Go on now, I want to talk to Dee. Alone."

"You know," Dee added, "Girl stuff."

Patch nodded sheepishly and went off to the other end of the ward.

"Well?" Dee said, hopefully.

"Well what?" Moz replied, nonchalantly.

"You know what. What do you think of him?"

"Hmm?"

"What?"

"He is a sweetie-pie."

"Isn't he just."

"And kinda cute, I guess."

"I like to think so."

"And totally in love with you of course."

"You can tell?"

"Um, yeah! Definitely!"

Dee grinned like a Cheshire cat to hear Moz's praise. This wedding was definitely going to be an event to remember.

--

Salene sat in her office, turning a pencil over and over in her fingers. The morning sickness had started in earnest that morning. She had nearly ran into Mouse on her way to the bathroom and was sure she had scared the child. It wouldn't be long now until everyone knew she was expecting again, including Ryan. She had to tell him before the rest knew: she owed him that and Pride had agreed it was the right thing to do. The only problem was how to tell him. She had hurt him so much in the past, and he had wanted their baby so much, she didn't know how she was going to be able to do it again. But, she told herself, it would only hurt him more if he was the last to find out. She had to find him and tell him what was happening: that she was pregnant again, with Pride's baby, and that she was thinking of resigning as City Leader to take over the running of the school. It had always been her dream, as Pride had said and as Ryan also knew, but she couldn't help feeling she was running away from her duties as City Leader.

She didn't think she was well suited to the post; she was a worrier and she worried too much for this job. Perhaps it was time they chose another leader. After all, her mind told her, conspiratorially, Ram had fixed her election. If it had been left to the city, maybe they wouldn't have chosen her.

Deciding this dilemma would be the perfect opener for her conversation with Ryan, she had always talked to him about such things before, she rose from her desk and grabbed her coat. Leaving before she changed her mind, she headed out of the old hotel, out of the city and on to farm. Please, she prayed, don't let him be on his own.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Mega and Zed reached the command post not long after midday. They hadn't stopped to rest and had eaten while they walked. Now they were here, Zed dumped his pack down in a corner and helped Mega with his. Leaving Zed to set up their camp, Mega took his small bag of gadgets and set to work. Some of the things in his bag were ultrasonic keys that gave him access to encoded files. He could probably have got round it if he hadn't had them, he thought, but they made life easier and got him where he wanted to be much faster. Flicking through the files, he found one that looked promising: a spreadsheet entitled OPENDOOR, the codename form of what he recognised to be Operation Dormouse.

--

Tai San walked, unafraid, up to the city limits, closely followed by Cat. She stopped and turned, waiting for Lex to catch up. He was in a mood. He always was when he didn't get his way, she thought. He would come out of it soon enough, but his slow progress had meant they were only at the edge of the city now instead of well inside it. As soon as he drew near, she started off again, keeping to the side streets and alleyways between blocks and trying to avoid the cameras. If they could get to the Mall without Siva seeing them, there was a chance that the presence of the other Mall Rats would hold back the main part of her wrath. As different as Siva was to her sisters, Tai San was sure that the one thing they all had in common was a taste for revenge if any man wronged them. Java and Ebony had, in days past, proved their talent in this field, as far as Tai San was concerned that was two down one to go, and she had no wish to be there when Siva "went"!

--

Salene reached the farm just as Alice was preparing lunch for the workers. She made Sal sit down and eat something, telling her it was payment for Sal looking after the baby for her while she got the food ready. While she ate, Salene noticed the other farm workers coming in from the fields, orchard and, in a few cases, herb garden. Good, she thought, at least Ryan wouldn't be alone after she left; although, in the circumstances, maybe he would rather be on his own.

When Paul came in, his face dirty and smeared with tears, Salene started worrying again. If only they could find Patsy, she thought. Right behind Paul, Ryan strode in. He clapped a brotherly hand on Paul's shoulder and pointed to the food Alice had laid out for them. Paul tried to smile and, looking up, saw Salene. He stopped then pulled away from Ryan to the other side of the table. Looking up to see what had startled his friend, Ryan saw Salene. He opened his mouth as if to speak, shut it again, unable to find the words, then finally said "hi" to her.

"You must be hungry," Salene said, motioning him to sit in a chair next to her. Ryan did so.

"Why are you here, Sal?" Ryan's brow creased. No matter what her reason, he was sure it couldn't be good.

"I had to talk to you. But eat first, we can talk later."

"What's wrong with here?"

"I want to talk to you alone."

"About what?"

"A couple of things."

"Things you can't talk to Pride about?"

"Things I've spoken to Pride about and now I want to speak to you about them."

"I see."

In his heart of hearts, Ryan knew what was coming, at least part of it anyway. It couldn't be anything else. But she was right, it was a conversation they had to have in private. In silence, he ate his meal then, taking her arm and returning Alice's baby, led her out to the orchard where they could be alone.

"You're pregnant aren't you," it wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yes," Salene's heart sank. She had worried for so long how to tell him and he had known just by the look on her face.

"How long?"

"I wasn't really sure until a few days ago. The morning sickness just started recently. Ryan, I'm scared. What if it happens again?"

Why did she always come to him when she was vulnerable, Ryan thought: every time she came to him and every time he ended up comforting her. The only time he hadn't been there, she had nearly killed herself.

"There's nothing to say it will. The city is at peace, there is enough food for everyone. Heck, Sal there's even a hospital! You've no reason to be afraid."

"The fact that it happened before is reason enough."

"That was an entirely different situation."

"But it wasn't that that caused it. I fell down the stairs. That could happen anytime."

"Then you'll just have to make sure it doesn't. Be extra careful. Watch your step. That's all."

"I know, you're right."

There was a long pause as they walked through a less tidy and more wild part of the orchard. They were getting near the edge, the furthest edge from the city. Salene was just about to tell Ryan about her plans for the school when Ryan stopped, frowned, shaded his eyes and started running towards a group of people emerging from the forest edge. Salene looked closely, only half able to believe what she saw before her.

"Jack!" she cried and ran to catch up with her ex-husband.

--

Trudy returned from the hospital with Brady, Amber and Zac. Amber and her son were met by Bray and followed him up to the cafe. Trudy watched them, thinking how great it would be to have someone love her the way Bray loved Amber. But then, she thought, she could never be that lucky.

"Have you had a nice morning," said a voice from behind her.

It was Hawk. As she turned, Hawk lifted Brady from her mother's arms and swung her round, making Brady giggle in delight. Her daughter's laugh cheered Trudy and she followed Hawk and her daughter into the nursery. Looking down over the banister, Amber smiled. She can't see it, Amber thought: she keeps looking for love and now it's staring her in the face and she can't see it. Something would have to be done.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ebony sat at the lunch table, playing with her fork and her food. Jay watched her uneasily. He was pretty sure he knew what she was thinking about and extremely sure she wouldn't say anything until he asked her.

"What's up?" Jay asked, deciding to take the bull by the horns and get this over with.

"Oh, nothing," said Ebony, dreamily, with a slight smile on her face.

"Yes there is, you've been chasing that carrot round your plate for the past half hour. Come on, tell me."

"Oh, I was just thinking about something."

"Yeah, I got that part. Whatever it is, you've been thinking about it since we left the hospital."

"You know when we talked about starting again? Building our own world?"

"Ye-es."

"Well, did you..."

"Did I what?"

"Did you see any children in that world? I mean, children of our own?"

"I don't know, I never thought about it."

"Do you think you would think about it?"

"I could try. But Ebony, if we are thinking of starting a family, shouldn't we wait until things have settled down here."

"They are settled. Pretty much anyway."

"Not from what I've seen. I mean, the hospital seems to be getting by, certainly, and they're working on new wards and new staff, and they've even got a sort of pharmacy running up at the farm, but there is still so much to do. Even Patch is still training himself and having a hard time of it at that. The books he's working from are so old that some of their advice could do more harm that good! And the school hasn't even started yet. Plus we need to be able to keep the power going. I know Pride is against me on this but for the sake of the hospital at least, we have to get a good, reliable, power station running. Add to that the fact that Salene still wants to try and bring a currency system back and set up a working law system and we've still got miles to go. When I was a Techno the power station was my project, I'm gonna be busy with getting that sorted out for a while. Give me until it is up and running properly at least."

Ebony sat and stared at her plate. True as his answer was, it still wasn't what she had wanted to hear. Feeling tears rush into her eyes, she pushed her chair back from the table, stood up and practically ran from the room.

"Ebony!" Jay called after her.

Sighing Jay stood up and started to return to his room. As he neared the door he heard Ebony crying on their bed. When he called to her she merely told him, sharply, to "go away" and ignored his replies. Closing the door on her, Jay gave up and wandered though the Mall. Looking in on the nursery, he saw Trudy and Hawk playing with Brady and Zac. Jay noticed that Hawk's eyes were on Trudy as often as they were on both the children put together. Maybe it was a good time for children to enter this world. Brady had been born at a much less stable time and had gone through so many things in her young life since then. Now, here she was happy and laughing with her mother, cousin and Hawk. But Jay still couldn't resolve himself to the idea. It wasn't the world he wanted for his children.

He sat on the stairs for a while, thinking things through. Every now and then someone would wander past and inquire if anything was the matter. He would say no, then they would go and leave him in peace until the next person came by. Eventually, tired of being asked the same questions, Jay resolved to find somewhere more private to think. He couldn't go to his room, Ebony wouldn't let him in and he knew better than to try talking to her too soon when she was in this kind of mood. Climbing the stairs to the roof, he opened the door and glanced around quickly. There didn't appear to be anyone there. He walked out, closed the door behind him, slumped back against it and closed his eyes with a sigh. Peace at last, he thought. Until, that is, Amber called his name.

--

Salene and Ryan led Jack and his companions back to the farmhouse. There had been an overjoyed moment then a slightly awkward one when Jack had jumped to the conclusion that Salene and Ryan had got back together in his absence. Now Jack faced the unpleasant task of telling Alice what had happened to her sister. When the small group reached the farmhouse, Alice and Aeryn came rushing out to meet them, Alice carrying her child in her arms.

"Whose is the kid?" Jack asked, bemused.

"Mine," said Alice, beaming, "Looks like old Neddy boy left me with a bit more than just memories."

She tried to laugh, but Jack could still see the pain that shot across her face at the mention of Ned's name. At least she seemed a bit happier to have her son and the farm. A bit more stable now too, he thought. It eased some of the worry in his mind over telling her about Ellie, but not all of it; it still wasn't a task he was looking forward to.

As Slade recounted their meeting with Mega and Zed, Aeryn's eyes brightened. She missed her husband, even though he had only been gone one night. It was the first night since their marriage that they had not, at least, spent the night in the same room, if not the same bed. She hadn't slept, just lain awake in their bed going back over all her memories of him. How they met, the promise she had made her cousin Ram when she persuaded him to let go of his last hold on life and had then made to Mega himself, the way he smiled when he thought no-one was looking. She had even tried listening to music, on her headphones of course, to take her mind off things, but the CD that was in was Dido and the song's words echoed her feelings: "I can't sleep, Until you're resting here with me". She had given up and sat for most of the night staring out of the window at the bright full moon, trying to content herself with the notion that at least her husband would be seeing the same moon she saw.

Now, in her heart, she worried. Jack had, by all accounts, nearly killed him. Her promise to both Ram and Mega had nearly been broken. She led Jack round to a bench and started binding his wounds, worrying all the while that her husband may have the same scrapes or worse. Barely hearing Jack's apology, she was startled when Jack asked, quietly, how she thought Alice was doing.

"It's just, when she was taken from us she was in a bad way," Jack explained, "She had just lost Ned a-and she went kinda nuts. I don't want her to end up like that again."

"She seems fine," Aeryn answered truthfully, "I've only known her six months, but ever since the baby was born she's been great; although she's not got a name for him yet. Anyway, why are you so afraid she might relapse?"

At that moment they heard Alice's voice, crooning to her son as she walked round the side of the farm house to where they were seated. She sat down opposite Jack and handed him the child to hold while Aeryn cleaned a cut on Jack's forehead. The infant seemed to like Jack, something that surprised him: he'd never been that good with children before.

"Jack?" Alice said, slowly. Jack gulped: he knew what was coming next.

"Y-yes," he said.

"Where's Ellie?" Alice's strong voice shook a little as she pronounced her sister's name.

"Alice, I'm sorry," Jack felt his face burn as he fought back tears, "There was nothing I could do. Alice, they made me watch!"

He broke down crying again as the memory flooded back. The two Technos holding him back, the one setting her stun gun to kill and aiming it straight at his beloved Ellie. He had wanted to run to her, to hold her again before they took her away, but they hadn't let him. It had taken another two Technos to hold him back once they shot her and, in the end they had had to stun him to get him back to the camp. Why hadn't they just killed him there and then, he thought, instead of forcing him to endure the torture of living with that memory.

As the words tumbled out, Alice grew pale and silent. The tears rolled down her face and she hugged her stomach but still she made no sound. Aeryn watched, feeling like an intruder on something wholly familial and private. As far as she could make out, Jack was as good as a brother-in-law to Alice and the two of them shared a pain she could understand, but could not take part in. She wrapped a friendly arm around Alice's shoulders to support her but Alice merely hugged her stomach and rocked back and forth, the tears rolling down her face. Jack, still holding the child, was disconsolate. With a confused expression, Alice's son stared up at Jack and patted his cheek. The boy knew nothing of this pain, and Jack prayed he would never have to.

--

Tai San, Cat and, last of all, Lex wandered through the doors of the Mall. There was the sound of laughter from the nursery, but everything else was quiet. Tai San led the way over to the nursery door. As she opened it and was welcomed by Trudy and Hawk, she heard Siva screeching like a harpy from behind them.

--

Patch hovered over Helena's bedside uneasily: the young girl had a fever, he was sure of it. Dee was just taking her temperature for the second time. He was sure he had cleaned the wound properly, and with the right solution, but an infection had still got in and the leg now oozed a foul smelling pus. Cloe came up behind him, startling him, and asked if there was anything needed doing. He sent her off to help set up one of the new wards, telling her to ask for Chrisma, who was in charge.

When Cloe reached the ward she singled out Chrisma immediately. Perhaps slightly older than the rest, she was standing in the centre of the room dishing out orders to all and sundry. Some of the teenage rebelliousness came back to Cloe when she saw Chrisma and she took an instant dislike to her, but it was Patch she was here to help, for his sake and for Ved's.

"Need a hand?" Cloe said, marching straight up to Chrisma, "Patch sent me up to help."

"Then you can start by showing Josh over there how to make a bed," Chrisma answered, looking down her nose at Cloe, "That is, if you know how to."

Not giving her the satisfaction of an answer, Cloe turned her back on Chrisma and walked over to where a boy of about her own age was trying to get all the corners of a plain sheet under an old mattress.

"We always had fitted sheets at home," he told her when she reached him, "I dunno what to do with the corners of these!"

Moving him to one side, Cloe took over the task and showed him, slowly, how to fold the bed sheet so that it fitted neatly round the mattress. When they had finished, they barely had time to congratulate themselves when Chrisma shouted over to them.

"Well, don't just stand there," she barked, "There's a whole row of them to do. Get on with it!"

Cloe rolled her eyes and Josh giggled at her expression. One by one they worked their way up the row of beds until their side of the ward looked immaculate and they were starting to feel hungry again. Cloe laughed. Making the beds, and making fun of Chrisma while they did so, was the most fun she had had in a long time. Josh certainly seemed to have enjoyed himself since she arrived to help and, shyly, asked her if she wanted to go get something to eat.

"Why don't you come back to the Mall with me?" Cloe asked, "We can get something to eat in the old cafe there. And get away from Miss Perfect over there!"

Josh laughed, nervously, and followed her out of the room, ignoring Chrisma's demands of where they were going.

--

Mega stared at the computer screen. Taking in everything the files told him about the elusive Operation Dormouse. He hadn't slept, although Zed had spent much of the afternoon curled up in a corner. It seemed impossible to him, now, to even think of going to sleep without Aeryn by his side. He concentrated on his work, hoping it would distract him from the empty feeling inside him that her absence left.

At least here, on the screen in front of him, there was hope for some who might otherwise have been lost. He was familiar with the Operation and knew it had been one of Ram's top projects, one known only to Ram, Ved, himself and those who had worked here on it. Even then, the isolated workers had not known exactly what Operation Dormouse was, just that it existed and they had their orders of what to do to keep the project running. Ved had believed in the Operation, had thought it would be used to save lives. Ironically, it was the result of this selfsame Operation that had cost him his life.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"You!" Siva screamed from the main doorway behind them.

"Uh, hey babe," said Lex sheepishly.

"_DON'T_ call me babe!"

"No."

"You left me."

"Yeah."

"For her!"

"Ba... Siva, she is my wife already!"

"So am I. You didn't have to marry me as well after _SHE_ came back. You could have just put me straight then: told me how you really felt, been honest. But then that's never been one of your strong points, has it Lex?"

"No."

Cat watched silently from the nursery doorway. Tai San had explained Lex's dilemma while they walked, with Lex dragging behind in his mood, out of earshot. Now Cat felt invisible, able to observe unseen, but still could not bring herself to watch the outburst. However publicly it was being aired, this was Lex, Tai San and Siva's own, private, dirty laundry.

Trudy held Brady close to her and she and Hawk led Cat into the nursery, Hawk holding Zac in his arms. Mouse was sitting over in a corner with her hands over her ears. Siva had grown to be one of Mouse's favourite people and she hated to see or hear her mentor angry.

"It's okay, honey," Trudy told Mouse, sitting down beside her and putting her free arm around her while Brady sat on her mother's lap, sucking her thumb and hiding her face from Cat.

"I'm sorry," Hawk said, turning to where Cat was standing with her pack at her side, "This isn't much of a welcome for you."

"Don't worry about it."

"No, he's right," Trudy said, turning to face her, "Siva shouldn't have blown up like that. Not when we had a guest and not in front of the children. She knows the nursery is in here."

"Please don't worry on my account. Tai San explained the details on the way; although, I do agree with you about the children."

Trudy wondered at the short, staccato sentences Cat used, and her clear, yet indeterminate, accent. All the same, the young woman seemed nice, slightly older than the rest of them, but nice. She smiled warmly and Zac laughed, but Brady kept her head firmly hid in her mother's arm.

--

"Amber?" Jay asked, without opening his eyes.

"Yes," she answered, "it's me."

"What are you doing up here? And where were you, I couldn't see anyone?"

"Well, firstly I came up here to think and secondly I was over the other side of the door. You wouldn't be able to see me. I only knew there was someone else here because I heard the door shut and came round to see who it was. Anyway, what are you doing up here?"

"I needed some space. And some time to think for that matter."

"Anything I can help with?"

"I dunno. Ebony and I had a fight. Sort of. Well. Not a fight, more of a ..."

"Discussion?"

"Yeah. But a short one. I don't think you'll be able to help with this."

"Try me," she said, smiling and sitting down next to him with her back against the door.

"Ebony wants to start a family."

"And presumably you don't?"

"It's not that, I do want a family eventually, just not right now. Or in the near future, before you say anything."

"Why not?"

"It's just... This isn't the world I wanted my kids to grow up in."

"It's not perfect, no. But it is all we've got."

"But not all we could have. Amber, look how far we've come. We've a hospital. A democracy. A school on its way. But there's still so much more to come. The power station is running, but for how long. We have to get that problem fixed. We have a militia and a police force, but no laws or courts. That has to get fixed too. We have a marketplace of sorts, but no currency. We need to get that sorted out. There's still so much to do, and it's only been six months since we got rid of Ram - who knows what other Tribes are waiting to try and take over in his stead. Nobody is sure what happened to the Chosen. I want to be sure my children are going to be safe in this world."

"There is no way you can know that for sure, Jay. But it's not fair to deny them life just because you aren't sure how long they'll have it. Believe me, I know what you're going through. I went through it myself when I found out I was pregnant with Zac. I even considered trying to terminate the pregnancy. I know he's been through a lot, but even still, I am so glad that I chose to have him. It was a struggle but it was worth every second."

"I just want to be a little more sure, that's all. I've asked Ebony to wait until I can get the power station running properly. That's not too much to ask is it? I mean, if she was pregnant now, I'd be over the moon, but she's not. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"I suppose," Amber got to her feet, "I'd better go see how Zac is. You'll think about what I said?"

"Of course."

"Good."

--

Salene returned to the school instead of the hotel. She wanted to see Pride and tell him what had happened at the farm. She found him in an old office, which must have belonged to the previous headmistress: there were still some personal items scattered around the room that he was slowly clearing up. On a filing cabinet there was a family photograph showing the headmistress herself, or so Salene presumed by the clothes in the photo and the other items in the room, her husband, who looked the lawyer or accountant type, and their son and daughter. There was something vaguely familiar about the boy. The set of his eyes, the line of his chin, the shape of his nose. Even the unruly, wavy black hair looked familiar.

"Pride," she said, stopping her lover in his tracks, "this is you!"

--

Patch, having escaped the confines of his office and resolved himself to the task of working on his surprise for Dee alone, at least until Mega returned, had crept out of the ward and up a few flights of stairs to a wholly unused floor. It would be used, he thought, and the first thing it is used for will be the greatest day of my life.

He worked hard in the few hours he could spare before he would need to return to check on Helena. He worried about the girl, she was weak and the fever was spreading rapidly. He had sent a letter to Aeryn asking her to come down the next morning, he hadn't wanted to worry her and, at the time, he had thought that would be time enough. The antibiotics Patch was treating Helena with, though, weren't working and he did not know enough herb craft to treat her with Aeryn's medicines. All he could do was treat the symptoms, give the girl antibiotics for the infection and fever, and hope she was strong enough to pull through. He would check on her in a half hour, he thought, and, if she was any worse, he would send another messenger to Aeryn to bring her back immediately.

--

Alice, Ryan, Aeryn and Paul had set about turning the old barn into a dormitory for the new arrivals. Jack, although he swore he would not, was sleeping soundly on the old sofa in the front room after having received a dose of Aeryn's valerian tincture.

"You're getting quite good at drugging innocent young men!" Alice teased her as they sat with Paul and Ryan in the kitchen, discussing the day's events.

"There's no 'quite' about it. Are you sure you will be fine tonight? It doesn't have to be administered without your knowledge for it to work you know!"

"No, I'll be okay," Alice's voice sank to a whisper and her brow creased, "I already knew, deep down. I don't know how, I could just feel it: she wasn't coming back. All Jack did today was make my head certain of something my heart already knew. I'll be okay."

"You know where I am if you change your mind."

"Yeah. I think I'll head just now, actually. It's been a long day."

"Sure."

As Alice rose to go, she was bid goodnight by Aeryn and the two boys. Aeryn went and put the kettle on the hob again. She wasn't sleepy and she and Ryan were trying to work out some sort of sign language with Paul. He had taught them the usual deaf-dumb alphabet, but the rest they had to come up with themselves. None of them were tired. It was going to be a long evening.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jay sat, thinking over what Amber had said. He knew Amber shared his dream of building a brave new world for their children to grow up in. He knew, given a chance, she could, and would, do it too. Perhaps, when Salene's term came to an end, Amber would stand for City Leader. If not, he would have to persuade her to do so. He was sure she was the best person for the job. Funny, he'd always thought that about Ebony in the past. Ebony. She had changed so much in this past year since he'd met her. Okay, so maybe he hadn't been awake for half of it, but she had been the one who was there when he woke up; well, when he woke up properly anyway. He had a vague, dreamlike recollection of waking up once before, briefly, and seeing Amber, but he couldn't be sure. Amber. The memory of the night in the hospital when she had came to him and opened her heart to him flooded back. The memory of the kiss they had shared in the Eco camp flooded back. His head sank into his hands as all the things Amber and Ebony had ever said to him, especially about each other, filled his mind and heart. Why was he so reluctant to start a family with Ebony? He had agreed with all the points Amber had made. In his heart, he wasn't sure that, when the power station was up and running, he wouldn't simply end up asking Ebony to wait until something else was finished. Worse that that, he was almost certain that that was exactly what he would do and that Ebony knew that. But why?

--

Amber walked down a couple of steps, then sat down with her back to the other side of the door. She had had to get out of there. If it had been anyone else in such a dilemma, she would have stayed with them until she was sure they wanted her to go. She couldn't do that with Jay. She knew the advice she had given him was good, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to ask him the one thing that needed asking. Jay had agreed with every point she had made; what, then, was the real reason for his reluctance? A lot of things had changed in the past six months and Jay had missed out on them. Perhaps he was just feeling he needed time to catch up with them first. Deep down, Amber knew she simply didn't want to know the real reason. If it wasn't because of her, she knew that, although she should be happy for him and Ebony and move on, she would only be hurt. But if she had asked and he had answered that it was because of her? That would only make both of them feel ten times worse in the end, not to mention hurting Bray and Ebony.

She knew Jay shared her dream of building a brave new world for their children to grow up in. She was sure he could do it if he was given the opportunity. The power station might be just that, for the moment, but when Salene's term ended, surely he would be the best person to take over from her. She would have to try and persuade him to stand when the time came. If he only knew how much the city looked up to him, respected him for his part in the rebellion. Or even how many of them had asked about him when he was lying unconscious in hospital. The hospital. She remembered the first time he woke up, when she and Dee had gone in to see him whilst Ebony and Bray's backs had been turned. When she had still been being punished by Bray for that stolen kiss. She remembered what she had told Jay then. She had told him to be the man she thought he was. What a corny line. And look what it had brought her: a kiss that she remembered perfectly even now, over six months later, and night of tears in a hospital room when she had gone to him, sure that Bray could never truly love her again. Or was it the other way round?

--

Patch went down to check on Helena. No change. At least she wasn't any worse, he thought, there was no need for Aeryn to come all the way down to the hospital tonight. Collecting a book from his office and giving Jetta and Angie, two of his trainee nurses, their instructions for the night. Angie, the younger of the two girls, had always made Patch nervous at first. Her hair was a bright orange and her lipstick was a sharp, contrasting black; she wore a lot of dark eye shadow around her brown-green eyes, with a white triangle above the right one, and her strappy top was striped orange and black. Dee had introduced him to her not long after the hospital had opened. She had arrived with Jetta having heard volunteers were needed and both wanted to become nurses. Now that he knew her, she didn't have quite the same effect on him. Her personality was by no means as terrifying as her initial appearance had seemed.

Jetta, on the other hand, was a different matter altogether. Her bright blue hair was cropped to chin length and her dark brown eyes surrounded by neon green eye shadow. Her lips were painted the same blue as her hair and there was a blue lightning strike down the left side of her face, which was outlined in neon green. The bright colours were echoed in her clothing where a bright blue T-shirt peeked out from under a neon green corset. Her colours getting darker as they descended, she also wore dark purple leather bell-bottom trousers and black boots. Her colours may be bright and airy, but Jetta was no air head. Nobody messed her, or anyone she was friendly with, about. She had been a great help when it came to keeping the players in their beds.

Leaving them with a list of patients to check on and things to do in general, Patch headed home to the Mall. It would be the first night he had been back there since he and Dee had got engaged, he hadn't seen the others from the Mall since they had announced it, well, with the exception of Siva on occasion and, of course Ebony and Jay, who had just left yesterday, and Amber and Cloe who helped out. Apart from that, he hadn't seen any of them for ages.

--

Bray arrived back at the Mall to hear Siva still berating Lex and Tai San for their disappearance. So they were back, he thought, about time too. He'd always known Lex would wind up back here. He always did, no matter what you threw at him. That was one thing he'd always admired in Lex. He was resilient. Bray remembered when Zandra had died and Lex's child had died with her. Lex had gone to pieces, ended up a drunkard, an alcoholic, but he had still made it back. Now he was all the stronger for it. Bray had thought he had lost Amber and he had gone through a hard time too, but if he had thought, for one second, he had lost both Amber and their child? He wasn't sure he would have been able to make it.

Up in the cafe, he could hear Siva's enraged voice. He climbed the stairs to the first landing, shook his head and then carried on. When he entered the Cafe, he saw Tai San sitting at the table with what looked, and even from this distance smelt, like a cup of her herbal tea looking as serene as ever. Lex was leaning, nonchalantly, against the wall, staring blankly off into space whilst Siva was standing with her hand barely an inch from Lex's face screaming at him. How does he do it, Bray thought? How does he get two completely opposite women to fall for him like this? Even Zandra had been nothing like either of these two. But then, he supposed, Lex's taste was anything in a skirt, well, when he wasn't serious anyway. Nobody ever believed Lex was serious about his women, with the exception of Tai San. That was the clincher nobody had ever explained to Siva. That was probably why she was so angry.

Trying to act as diplomatically as he could, Bray played peacemaker and, eventually, got Siva to calm down. Getting the three seated at the table together he suggested they sleep on everything that had happened then took the argument to Salene in the morning. Having restored peace to the Mall, he went back down the stairs to the nursery, where he had seen a light on when he entered the Mall.

"A little late for everyone isn't it?" Bray asked as he opened the door. Trudy and Hawk were alone with Brady, asleep in Hawk's arms and Zac, also asleep in Trudy's arms.

"We were waiting for you or Amber to come get Zac," Trudy replied, quietly.

"Where is Amber?"

"I don't know, she said she needed some time to herself. To think."

"Oh! Okay then. I guess she'll turn up when she's ready."

"Yeah."

Trudy handed Bray his son and took her daughter from Hawk as Bray left.

"You go on," Hawk told Trudy, "I gave Cat my room. I'll sleep in here tonight."

"You don't have to."

"Where else is there? The Mall is pretty much full with all the waifs and strays you've picked up, including me!"

"You could sleep in my room tonight. I have room."

"You only have one bed."

"I know."

Trudy smiled and led Hawk out of the nursery. She had noticed something over the past time they had spent together. Perhaps not on Hawk's part, she had always put that down to a love of the children, but when Amber started leaving them alone together for no good reason and with a silly grin on her face, Trudy started to get the message.

--

Salene sat with Pride in the old school office. It was getting late but they still had so much to talk about. Pride had never talked about his past: his parents and life before the virus. Now that Salene had found him out, everything he had bottled up for years came spilling out and there was lots of it. Salene had listened to everything he had said. She had put her arms round him and held him close when his voice started cracking. She had answered his questions about her own past honestly and concisely, letting him unburden all the grief and pain that had built up inside him. There would be time enough for her stories later.

Eventually, Pride sighed, looked out of the window and suggested they head home. The rest of the workers had long since left the school and Salene still hadn't had the chance to tell Pride about Jack's return and Ellie's demise. Not tonight, she thought as she took his arm. Tomorrow when he has had time to gather his thoughts.

--

Aeryn sat on the bench outside, looking up at the moon and the stars. She could see a planet up there, although she wasn't sure which one, right in the middle of a constellation she recognised. Didn't that mean something or other to astrologers and such people. She couldn't quite remember, she had never really seen the point of astrology, a change perhaps, something on its way maybe. No, she couldn't remember. Something like one of the two she was sure, but she didn't know which. She should try and get some sleep, she thought. Patch needed her at the hospital tomorrow. Going inside she thought to herself that perhaps it was time she tried a dose of her own medicine. Half what she gave Jack should make her sleep for the night but wake up early tomorrow. She pulled a wry face as she took the dose, then went up to bed.

--

Mega sat near the fire Zed had made, holding some papers to its dying light so that he could read them. If he was right, these should contain the whereabouts of the testing lab for Operation Dormouse. This here was only a command post, built for relaying messages to the lab. The documents he held were encoded, but he had just about worked out the code. He had seen Ved and Ram use it in private or otherwise secret documents before, that had been how he had found out about the project in the first place. He looked at Zed, sleeping soundly by the other side of the fire. Perhaps they could do this, just the two of them, but it would be better if they had some help.

Putting the documents to one side for the time being, Mega got up, stretched himself and stepped outside into the cool night air. The fresh breeze removed the last of the cobwebs from his mind and he looked about him, taking in his surroundings in the starlight.

Off to one side, something caught his eye. A fire. Distant, but not more than ten minutes march from where they were. The camp looked a fair size and not of the Techno mode. Perhaps it is just travellers, he thought. Returning to the command post, however, he put out the fire and closed the door, just to be safe.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The resident Mall Rats and their guests sat around the breakfast table in the old cafe Munching their way through whatever could be had for breakfast. The farm might be underway again, but it would still be a whole year before they could reap their first harvest and they had no livestock at all. Fruit, vegetables and herbs were all that the farm could supply them with and these had to be shared with the whole city. On occasion, other traders would bring their goods to market, but Alice's farm was the city's closest and most regular supplier, if only because of its connections.

Lex, Tai San and Siva sat in silence, having already agreed with Salene to take the matter up when they reached her office and not before. Trudy sat feeding her daughter and exchanging glances with Hawk who watched the two adoringly. Amber ate slowly and silently, aware of Trudy's behaviour and happy for its cause but avoiding the berating eye of Bray who held his son in his arm while he ate. Ebony ate little, sitting next to her sister and, on the few occasions she looked in Jay's direction, scowling. Cloe and Josh sat at a separate table with Mouse, Sammy, Dee and Patch all of whom were talking to each other about one thing or another in sharp contrast to the adjacent table. Cat sat in a corner, nursing a mug of black coffee and silently observing the scene before her.

"Cat, I wish you'd come and join us," said Hawk, cheerfully, "There are lots of people here who aren't Mall Rats, myself included. You shouldn't feel as though you're intruding."

"I'm fine here, don't worry about me. Besides there is little enough room at these tables and if I'm not mistaken there are two more expected for breakfast. There is no point in me taking up room I don't have to," here she paused and thought a little, "Speaking of which, you can have your room back today, I'll clear out my packs and move on up to the hospital. That's where I'm heading and I'm sure I can find somewhere up there to spend the night. You'll need your room back."

"No, he won't," said Trudy, a bit too quickly, "I mean, um, you're welcome to stay as long as you like, we'll make room."

"Did you say you were going to the hospital?" Dee piped up from the other table.

"Yes. D'you know who's in charge there?" Cat asked.

"Patch is," said Dee, pointing to her fiancé, "And I'm in charge of the nursing staff."

"I'll be wanting a word with the both of you later then. Once you've finished eating. No rush."

Dee nodded and began to turn back to her breakfast when Lex stood up, quickly followed by the eyes of his two wives, and stated he had some things to do before they went to the hotel. As he walked out of the cafe, Dee got up and hurried after him. She caught up with him at the head of the stairs.

"Lex," she called out, "I want to talk to you."

"Not now Dee," he snapped, "I have things to do."

"It won't take a minute."

"What is it?"

"Well, I don't know if you've heard yet, but Patch and I have decided to get married..."

"Is that what you stopped me for? To tell me you're getting married? I may be mistaken, but unless you're planning to have the ceremony today I really can't see what's so urgent..."

"And I want you to give me away."

Before Lex could answer, Dee rushed off in tears. She should have known better than to ask him when he was in such a mood, she told herself. She should have expected Lex to blow up like that. She shouldn't have let it get to her when he did, knowing the mood he was in and what he was like. Somehow, however, she always did let it get to her. She flung herself onto her bed and wept bitterly. A few moments later, there was a slight knock at the door and she heard it open. Turning, she saw Lex standing sheepishly in the doorway.

"I'm sorry," he said, gently, "Can I come in?"

Dee nodded and sat up, wiping her eyes. Lex came over and sat on the bed next to her. Half turning to face her, as far as his precarious perch would allow, he took both her hands in his and looked her straight in the face. She had never seen him look more serious about anything.

"Of course I'll give you away," he said, "It would be an honour."

Dee smiled at him and let him kiss her cheek before he left to do whatever he had been in such a rush to do beforehand. A few seconds after Lex left, Patch walked up to the open doorway. He looked at Dee's tear stained face and then over his shoulder at Lex's receding back.

"Are you okay?" Patch asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah," she assured him, "I'm fine. I had a bit of bother getting Lex to listen to me but, when he eventually did, he said he'd do it. I'm fine."

"Shall we go and see what Cat wants?"

"Yeah," Dee picked up a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, fixing her running makeup as best she could before she and Patch headed out of the room.

"Does anything odd strike you about Cat?" Patch asked her as they wandered along the corridor hand in hand.

"Like what? She seems to act a bit more mature than most of us, but I suppose the virus and living on her own like she did can do that to you."

"You don't think she looks older than the rest of us?"

"I don't know. Maybe. A little. Why not ask her?"

Patch frowned slightly, pushed his glasses up and shrugged. If he couldn't figure it out himself, maybe he would ask, given the right opportunity.

When they reached Cat's door they found it wide open and Hawk and Trudy, with Brady in tow, were ferrying things out of Hawk's old room and into Trudy's. Cat was standing, her packs still packed and lying next to her, with her arms crossed being told by Trudy that if she was going to be working at the hospital she may as well stay here because most of the hospital workers lived either in the Mall or near it. Brady stood behind her mother's leg, holding onto it for comfort and peeking out from behind it at Cat whilst sucking her thumb with a look of great concentration on her face, as if she were trying to work out a puzzle.

"You wanted to talk to us?" Patch said, interrupting Trudy mid-speech.

"Yes," Cat answered, "It appears I have been, irrevocably, given this room and am staying here so, if it is okay with yourselves, we can have this talk in here."

Trudy, happy to have succeeded in her quest, gave Brady something small to carry, picked up one of Hawk's bags herself and headed off for her room. Hawk returned for the last of the boxes and, as he left, closed the door behind him.

"Please, sit down," said Cat, "I am, or was, a healer by trade and teaching. I have heard of your hospital and feel my skills would be useful there. Would you have me?"

"Certainly," replied Patch, "We need all the help we can get. What sort of knowledge do you have of medicine?"

"I have some knowledge of herbal and other natural remedies, although I believe you already have two herbalists, and some knowledge of conventional medicine. Anatomy, physiology and suchlike. Things that could be useful in a surgical environment. Have you ever performed operations in your hospital? I believe it is still quite young."

"It is, but we have had to operate on some patients. Too many."

"No matter how may, it is always too many. But we must be there to do our best for them when the need arises. Am I right to say that, in a pre-virus hospital, your position would translate as consultant?"

Patch nodded.

"I'm not a doctor by any means, but I'm the closest thing we've got here. Or, at least, so I'm told."

"What other staff do you have?"

"Well, I am in charge of the nursing staff," said Dee, "We have about ten trained nurses, or as trained as we can make them, and another five in training. The trainees spend their days on duty with one of the trained nurses until their trainer thinks they are ready to go round alone. There are always at least four nurses on duty with usually one or two trainees during the daytime and two fully trained nurses and sometimes myself or Patch at night-time."

"There is also Aeryn," continued Patch, "who runs our pharmacy up at the farm and Tai San, our other herbalist, who had not long joined us before disappearing with Lex so we're not quite sure what she does yet. I am trying to teach myself medicine from the books remaining in the hospital library and offices, but they are so old I don't know what's out of date and what isn't. All I can do is bring myself up to the level of the early twentieth century doctors and then learn everything after that by trial and error."

"This hospital seems very well run and extremely well organised! May I come with you both today and see if I can do anything to help?"

"Please do," Patch said earnestly, "I've sent for Aeryn for a second opinion on one of my patients who has contracted an infection and fever after breaking her leg badly. The bone broke the skin and was sticking out through the flesh. I would be interested to hear what you make of it."

"I'll do my best," Cat paused and scrutinised Patch for a while, "There is something bothering you. Something you want to ask me."

"Yes."

"Ask away, I'll answer you if I can."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but it's just that you seem so much older that the rest of us. I was wondering what age you were."

Cat went over to the door and opened it. Looking all round outside, she shut it firmly and walked back to the waiting, but very nervous, Patch.

"I am 22 years old. Not, actually, that much older than the oldest of you here, I would imagine."

"But still too old," said Patch, with a hint of wonder in his voice. Dee could not think of why this was of such importance until Patch continued by saying: "How did you survive it?"

"I don't know, I simply never caught it. Anyway, I believe Lex almost died from it, but he survived."

"But he had the antidote. Did you?"

"No, as I said, I never caught it. It appears I am the only adult, here at any rate, who was immune to the virus."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The sun warmed Amber's face as she stood on top of the hill looking down at the city. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to meet its rays, smiling from the sheer pleasure of being away from the city.

"You should put yourself forward again, for the leadership," Jay said from behind her.

"Why, there are others more fit to run this place that me. The city doesn't need me any more, perhaps it never did."

"It did and you know it. And I don't think there is anyone who could lead this old dump into a new era better than you. You are perfect for the job, I don't know why you want to leave."

"There is someone," she said, turning to face him, "Someone who wants a new world just as much as I do and has had experience of running the city when it was a mess. Besides, what have I to stay for."

Jay smiled down at her and shook his head. Amber stepped forward and took both his hands in hers.

"You know you are right for this job. It's what you've always wanted and now you have the chance of the power to make it happen. To see things through without interference from hidden agendas. The city looks up to you, respects you for the stand you took against Ram. They would follow you anywhere, Jay. Who wouldn't?"

"I don't want it if it means staying in the city without you. What's the use having an entire city's devotion if I can't have the woman I love."

Sliding his hand gently up her neck and raising her chin, he lowered his lips to her own. Enveloped in the kiss, Amber's arms wrapped around Jay's neck.

"I love you, Amber," he whispered.

--

"Amber. Amber!" Jay's voice, now real, pulled Amber out of her daydream at the nursery window, her face colouring as if she feared he had guessed the content of her fantasy.

"Ahem," she coughed, regaining her composure, "What is it, Jay?"

"Salene wants to see everyone in the cafe this evening. She's just left with Lex, Siva and Tai San. She asked me to spread the word."

"Yeah, sure, I'll be there and I'll let Trudy and Hawk know when they get back."

Jay nodded and left her to watch over Zac and Brady with perhaps a little more caution than she had used previously.

--

When Dee, Patch and Cat arrived at the hospital, Aeryn, Ryan, Paul, Jack, Alice, her son and the other new found refugees had already arrived. Jetta and Angie were cleaning up the cuts and bruises of the new arrivals with the help of Nocona, Josh, Cloe and some newer nurses while Aeryn bent over Helena with one hand on the girl's forehead and a frown on her own. Alice was sitting talking to Naduah about the joys of motherhood whilst Paul watched Naduah curiously. Ryan sat apart with Jack, who still wore a tired, morose look and hugged his jacket like a comfort blanket.

"Wow," exclaimed Dee, "Business is suddenly looking up!"

Patch gave a small laugh and kissed his fiancée on her cheek as she hurried off towards the new patients. Beckoning Cat to follow him he led the way over to Aeryn and Helena, explaining the situation on the way. When Aeryn looked up her face was worried and drawn. She hadn't been sleeping recently, that much was obvious, but Patch worried more for his patient that his pharmacist. He knew if Aeryn needed help sleeping, she didn't need him to tell her so.

"Her pulse is very weak and she's burning up," Aeryn told him plainly.

"I know, I just don't know what to do about it. I thought I'd covered everything, but the books here are so old you just don't know how to fill in the gaps. Sometime you don't even know where the gaps are! I thought you might know more about, you know, treating the symptoms and so on. We're all out of the old antibiotics, all we have are your herbal remedies and I'm still not up to speed with them. There's been so much to do."

"I don't know if I've anything that can pull her back from this. My stock isn't complete: there are some herbs you just can't find in the wild here."

"May I see the leg?" Cat asked from behind Aeryn.

Aeryn turned quickly at the sound of Cat's voice.

"What are you doing here?" Aeryn gasped, "You said you would never come back."

"I changed my mind," Cat shrugged simply.

--

Chrisma wandered around one of the upstairs wards, barking orders at her army of helpers. Where were Josh and Cloe, she thought. She hated it when people started things then never came back to finish them. She had had so many slackers in her team, many more than any of the others. They just didn't like hard work, she told herself, and they resented the fact that she wouldn't let them have an easy ride like in some of the other restoration teams. Well, this time they were definitely not going to get away with it. If she ever saw either of them in the hospital, or out of it, again, she would give them a piece of her mind.

--

Having finished moving into Trudy's room, Hawk pulled his beloved close and kissed her passionately. He was happier now that he had been in years, even back in the Eco camp.

"We'd better get back to Amber and the kids," Trudy scolded him playfully, "There's no telling what will become of them if we don't."

"Amber's a good mother," he said, reluctant to let her go as, since Amber had come and taken Brady to the nursery with her while they moved his things around, it had been the first time they had really spent alone, "She can cope."

"Normally I would agree, but she's been, well, a bit distracted lately."

"You want me to look after Brady and Zac while you two go talk?"

"Would you? I don't know if she even wants to tell me what's on her mind, but it would help if she did, I'm sure."

"Come on then, let's let you go play agony aunt with Amber while I play trains with your children."

She knew the tone of his voice was mock tiredness, he loved playing with the kids. In fact he acted very much like a child himself, when he thought she wasn't watching, and she knew Brady at least adored him for it. Hand in hand they wandered down to the nursery, passing Jay as he headed out of the door with his jacket in hand.

"Everything okay?" Hawk asked.

"Yeah. Amber will explain. I've gotta go."

With that he hurried out of the door and on to the hospital.

--

Mega had alerted Zed to their neighbours when the young man had awoke at first light. Now, as Mega printed and downloaded files from the main computers, Zed stood, watchfully, At the door. In the building's shadow, in his black clothing, he was almost invisible. He could see the party moving slowly towards them, but they could not see him. When they cleared the bulk of the forest growth that was obstructing them from his view, he recognised the group immediately and turned to his comrade.

"It's May and the rest of my search team," he told Mega, "Either they've found some more people, which might be the case judging by the numbers, or they've given up. I don't think that's likely though. May won't let up, not on this case. It's like she's got something to prove."

"Do they know we're here?"

"Not yet, they're still a distance away. Do you want me to call them?"

"Please."

Zed turned back to the door and whistled a short trill three times. He was answered by the same trill, repeated twice. The search party seemed to quicken their pace, encouraged by their friend's presence. When they arrived, although weary, they all looked healthy enough with the exception of a few new faces who were being carried on stretchers. Everyone seemed heartened by the new company.

"You made it then!" May said to Zed, semi-cheerfully.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Zed laughed in return, causing May's slight smile to increase.

"Actually, we're nearly done here," Mega called from across the room, "but we will need your help to get this back to the city. Stop here. Rest. Get some sleep and when we are ready to go we can leave together. Are there any wounded who need to get back in a hurry?"

"No," May answered "They're just weak from the frames. They haven't used they limbs for so long, they don't seem to work any more and they are in need of food, but we have plenty of that to last until we reach the city."

"Good. You'd better set up camp then."

Raising an eyebrow at Mega's unquestioning assumption of command, May turned and instructed her team to do as he had said. Soon they were all gathered round a fire, a short distance from the command post where the ground was flatter, drinking tea and administering to the casualties. Mega remained alone in the command post, his eyes fixed on the computer's progress. It would be some hours before the task would be complete.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Pride wandered up to the hospital. He'd heard on the city grapevine that there were another load of refugees who had just turned up that morning. As his wife was busy sorting out Lex's marital troubles, he decided to offer his aid at the hospital. When he arrived the main ward was milling with people. One corner of the ward was shut off with old screens; Alice sat with her son, talking to another young woman who held in her arms a baby girl; Ryan and Paul were helping two, very tired looking, nurses bathe numerous wounds. Patch bustled round with his notepad, taking details, pulses and temperatures; Cloe and her young friend whom Pride had come to know as Josh were busily making up new beds with the help of two others Pride did not recognise; Aeryn was, with the help of another young man with a shaven head, strapping a splint onto a young girl's arm.

Pride looked hard at the girl. There was a familiarity about her that made him sure he knew her from somewhere. Just as he was about to give up and tell himself that he was imagining things, the name jumped into his head.

"Skye!" Pride called, causing the already fidgety girl to jump at the sound of her name and look towards him.

"Pride," she called back, "What are you doing here?"

Skye started to rise but was firmly sat down again by the young man. Pride saw Ryan look up quickly before becoming intent upon his work once more. Pride walked over to where Aeryn and Skye were sitting.

"She'd be ready in a minute if she'd only hold still," said Aeryn, in an exasperated tone.

"I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for that geek!" Skye inclined her head towards the two young men helping Cloe and Josh.

"What happened to Slade?" Pride asked, the concern showing in his voice, "Last I recall you left our tribe to travel with him. Did the Technos get him?"

"Huh. They got both of us," she answered, "But I'm the worse one off. He's over there, making beds with his new best friend - the geek who got us into this mess!"

Pride looked over again at the four bed-makers. He recognised the tallest as Slade and was shocked at how much he had changed. The young man was much taller and thinner than he had been last time Pride had seen him. Suddenly, as he turned side on to Pride's field of view, Pride realised he recognised the other young man helping out. He rushed to his old friend's side.

"Jack! What happened? Where did they take you? How did you get here? Are you okay? Is Ellie okay? Where is she? They said they took her to be with you."

At the stream of questions issuing from Pride's bewildered lips, Jack laughed a little, but his face paled and his countenance turned sorrowful when he heard the mention of Ellie's name. Pride, seeing the change this produced, guessed what had happened before Jack said anything.

"They killed her, Pride," Jack said in a whisper, "Right in front of me."

Pride put a hand on Jack's shoulder. There were no words he could say that would make Jack feel better, so he didn't even try.

A sudden shout brought Jack out of his melancholy. Cloe and Josh turned a little pale as they turned to face the voice. Chrisma had just entered the room. As she marched over to them, Josh cowered a little behind Cloe. Cloe folded her arms and regained her composure. Whatever Chrisma was after, she wasn't going to get it through sheer bossiness.

"You two are supposed to be helping me upstairs!" Chrisma yelled at them, causing half the able-bodied ward to turn and look. The girl used her height to try and intimidate the two younger workers. With Josh, this tactic worked; with Cloe, it didn't.

"_We_ are helping _Patch_ down here today, Chrisma," Cloe said the girl's name with a sneer.

"Well I need you upstairs! _NOW_!"

"No," Cloe's negative was simple and to the point and she relished the sight of the blood churning into Chrisma's face as her rage mounted.

"What do you mean 'no'?" she yelled at them, "You two are in _MY_ team!"

"Not any more. We quit. You can go boss about whoever wants to be in your team but we don't, so we're not taking orders from you any more."

"That is unacceptable!"

"No, Chrisma. _YOU_ are unacceptable. You pick on your team workers every chance you get, especially Josh, and you dish out orders without lifting a finger to do any of the work yourself. There is no way I am letting you treat _me_ like that ever again and there is certainly no way you are treating _Josh_ like that either!"

By now the entire ward was intent upon the scene. Aeryn, Dee, and Patch exchanged glances for a second then decided that it was their hospital and if anyone was going to be giving orders it was them.

"Is this true, Josh?" Aeryn asked, "Does Chrisma really treat you and the rest of her team like this?"

Josh, now as white as the bed sheets behind him, nodded his head shyly.

"Chrisma?" Dee asked, walking over to give herself time to re-don her ex-sheriff/deputy sheriff hat, "Get out."

"And, please, don't come back here for work," said Patch, fixing his glasses nervously "You're not very good for the patients!"

As Chrisma left, she passed Jay. He looked back at her over his shoulder as she stalked haughtily out of the hospital.

"What was all that about?" Jay asked Patch when he approached the semi-doctor.

"Just some staff management," quipped Dee. Patch gave a small laugh and watched his fiancée disappear with a stack of used gauze.

"I just came to tell you all that Pride and Salene want to see us all at dinner tonight. Will you pass the message on to Dee? Is Cat around here too or do I need to go look for her now."

"It's okay Jay, I'll let them know," Patch answered, "Cat's here but she's busy."

"Jay?" called Alice, "I have an announcement to make and I want you to hear it."

"Sure, what's up Alice?"

"Naduah here has been helping me make up my mind what to call this little chap and I think I've decided."

"So, what's it to be?"

"Denver," Alice smiled proudly at her son, "Den because his father always did things backward and Ver because he was born the day your brother died."

Cloe smiled sadly as she remembered her lost love, understanding completely Alice's choice of name. The others, however, with the exception of Jay, were puzzled.

"Why Ver?" Aeryn asked.

"Ved's real name," Jay explained, "was Vernon Edward. Not really surprising he chose to amalgamate the two: our parents didn't have the best taste in names."

"What did you get landed with, then?" Skye asked, curiously.

"Jasper. Don't all laugh at once. And I don't want to here any of you using it - I won't answer to it."

"While we are on the subject of naming babies," Naduah interrupted, "Nocona and I have also settled on a name for our daughter."

Nocona walked over to where his wife sat with their child and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Our daughter," he announced, "will be called Avenir."

"Ava for short," Naduah added.

--

Salene sat in her desk before the three miserable marrieds. Lex stood in the centre staring at the ceiling with one wife on either side of him arguing their case. Salene listened patiently to each side, sometimes both at once. She honestly felt sorry for Lex. After all, he had only tried to keep everyone happy and spare himself an agonising decision that she may now have to force upon him. When she had finally had enough of the bickering, she held up her hands for the two girls to stop. Argument subsided into silence and Salene let out a long sigh.

"Leave me alone with Lex for a while," she told them, "I want to get his side of the story without interruption. You can wait in the room across the hall."

Siva and Tai San left, Siva glaring hatefully at her rival all the time. When Salene was sure they had departed, she stood up, walked round the desk and turned to Lex. He sighed, caught her glare and shrugged.

"Look, I don't know what to do about them, Sal," he said, "If I dump Siva, I'll die because Siva will kill me, if I keep 'em both, I'll die out of sheer frustration at their bickering and if I dump Tai San I might as well be dead because she's all I live for. She's my life, Sal, I can't be without her. That's why I left and that's the only reason I followed her back here. If you send Tai San away from here you send me too - I'll go wherever she goes."

"A lawful society wouldn't normally allow bigamy."

"I know, but what can I do about it now?"

"I could annul your marriage to Siva. Say we had decided bigamy was not legal and you would have to stay with your first wife or formally divorce her."

"That still leaves me in the same position, but with one less option!"

"Okay, call them back in then leave. I'll sort this out."

Lex nodded and left the room. Salene seated herself behind her desk. A moment later the door re-opened and the two girls entered the room once more. Siva looked as though she expected bad news.

"I have decided to annul Lex's second marriage to Siva," Salene announced in her most formal tones, "In view of Lex and Tai San's temporary disappearance, I have decided not to allow a divorce between the two."

Siva, to Salene's surprise, did not burst into a rage as she had expected. Instead she stood staring at the floor, her eye make-up starting to run as tears formed.

"I knew it," she said quietly, "As soon as SHE came back, I knew I'd lost him."

Without another word, Siva ran from the room, the tears streaming down her face.

--

It was almost lunchtime when the computer finally stopped printing out all of the data for Operation Dormouse. Mega was half happy - this could save many lives - and half worried. For once Ram had produced a technology capable of saving lives, lives which should not have lingered, the only problem was what to do with the near-fatalities once they were found. Near-fatalities, no, Mega thought, that was not the word. Post-fatalities was nearer the mark. If he had known of the project and all its details, even after Mega had shot Ram, he would have been able to resuscitate him with this system. There were many names of test subjects who had been attached to this new form of life-support in one of the documents. One of them had immediately jumped out at Mega. It was a name he had heard only a few times, but one he remembered well.

As Mega heard the last page print, Zed stepped into the building.

"Is that it then?" Zed asked.

"Yeah. We'd best eat, then be on our way. Will you tell May?"

"Sure," Zed turned to go then stopped, "What's that noise?"

Mega turned to see a red countdown counting down on the computer screen. A last surprise of Ram's, and one he should have foreseen but had been to exhausted to do so, the computer system before him was booby-trapped. He watched as the numbers went down from seven to six to five...

"Get out!" Mega shouted, grabbing the bags of paper and equipment. As he reached the door, the counter reached zero.

--

Replacing a bottle of herbal ointment on one of the shelves of the store cupboard, Aeryn felt a burning pain spread over her back. Gasping, she dropped the bottle and fell to the floor as blackness enveloped her.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Aeryn!" Ryan shouted as he heard the crash. Swiftly followed by Paul, Slade, Jack, Jetta, Angie, Dee and Patch, Ryan ran for the storeroom.

"Aeryn, are you alright?" Patch asked when the gang of helpers arrived, "Ryan, help me carry her out of here."

Following orders, Ryan lifted Aeryn's shoulders whilst Patch took hold of her ankles. She was unconscious and bleeding from where the fallen bottle had cut her face and arms. Followed by the rest, the two young men laid the girl out on a nearby bed. Dee ran off for water and Angie for gauze and dressings. Slade returned to a worried looking Skye, who was sitting with an even more worried looking Pride, to tell them what had occurred. Paul hovered over Ryan's shoulder as he knelt by Aeryn's head. Jetta looked around, her trademark blue hair swinging around her shoulders as she did so.

"Well, all your friends seem to be in one piece," she told Jack who stood next to her, "It seems you were lucky - only one broken arm, two sprained ankles and a lot of cuts and bruises between the ten of them and yourself. Funny, eleven's an odd number, and I always thought the Technos would be very particular about the way they organised their groups. Are you missing anyone?"

The question was so simply asked, and so much to the point, that Jack couldn't stop himself giving out a small, wry laugh.

"Yeah, um, you could say that. My girlfriend, Ellie. She's dead."

"I'm so sorry," Jetta turned and put her hand on his arm to show her sincerity, "It's just like me to go and put my foot in it like that."

"Don't worry about it," Jack replied, quietly, "You weren't to know."

--

Cat heard the clatter just as she finished sewing up the remains of Helena's leg. The girl would need crutches, but she would live. Better to lose a leg before the infection took over her whole body that to waste time trying to treat the infection and losing the entire patient, she had told Patch. The operation was risky though and she could not afford any distraction, therefore she had sent all but Patch away and closeted them within the screens. Eventually Patch had been called upon to see to other patients, but by then he had seen enough to know what was needed in such a situation. Books would help him though. He needed books.

There was one place left in the city that Cat was sure those books would still exist: all the books Patch and Dee could need to run their hospital well. There was also a way to get them that Cat knew of and no-one else did. That was why the books were still there. That was why they hadn't been ransacked for use as fuel or suchlike. If she could get those books to Patch, he would be able to call himself a doctor with confidence and he would be able to train others to help him, to replace her. It was at least a two person job, but Cat knew exactly who was the right person to help her.

--

Lex and Tai San sat eating their lunch in silence. Tai San had filled Lex in on exactly what Salene had said and Lex, who had heard the wailing Siva rush past the entrance to the room he was waiting in, had not forgotten to say a sincere thank-you to Salene. He knew he had been weak. He knew he should have told Siva the way he really felt from the moment Tai San had found her way back to him. The problem was, he hadn't wanted to hurt her: he had loved her once, although not as much as she loved him, and he still cared about her in a way, but it was Tai San he always was and always would be truly in love with. Try as he might there was no way he could change that, no matter who it hurt.

"Lex!"

Lex started at the sound of his name. Looking around he saw Ebony in the doorway to the cafe.

"Have you seen Jay?" Ebony asked him.

"No, sorry," Lex answered, "I think he was running some errand for Salene."

--

Down in the nursery, Bray watched his son pile coloured building blocks one on top of the other while his cousin was being patiently persuaded to eat her lunch by Trudy and Hawk. Leaning against the door frame, nursing a mug of coffee, Amber watched father and son at play; as soon as Zac's blocks were piled too high, they would tumble down and the child would look bemused until his father handed him a fallen block and persuaded him to keep trying. That was the wonderful thing about Bray, Amber told herself, he never gave up and, with any luck, his son would be just the same.

Pulling off his jacket as he walked in the main door of the Mall, Jay stopped as he saw Amber with her back to him in the nursery doorway. He watched her, thinking about everything she had told him about when she was pregnant with Zac. Unseen from one side of the balcony above, Ebony watched Jay closely and followed his gaze. Could it be, even after he had promised her it would never happen again, she could still lose him to _her_. Over my dead body, Ebony thought. Or rather, she corrected herself, over Amber's.

--

May and a few members of her team rushed over from the campsite to the smoking remains of the command post. Zed was busy trying to extricate himself from beneath a large, charred timber. His hair was singed and his tight black T-shirt torn by the blast but, apart from that and a few scrapes and bruises, he was all right. He looked around for his comrade as May helped him up. Catching sight of some paper Zed, May and the others headed towards where the door should have been but where there now lay a pile of rubble. Bending down, May picked up something that had caught the sun and caught her eye. It was a bent and battered pair of tinted glasses.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

May, Zed and a number of their team frantically shifted the blackened chunks of rubble. After about ten minutes of digging, they exposed a scratched and bleeding hand that lay limply on the ground. One of the team, Kaz, lightly lifted the lifeless limb and checked for a pulse.

"It's there," she said in her deep alto, "but it's weak. We need to get him out of there fast."

"Okay, but go carefully," May ordered, "We don't want to do any more damage."

"What do you mean?" Zed asked, wearily. His body ached and, much as he wanted to help his friend, his strength was failing.

"If something is pressing on him, stopping or slowing the blood flow to even a small cut, when we remove the weight the blood will start spouting out possibly faster than we can find the source to stop it. We need to go very carefully. We couldn't do a blood transfusion out here, even if we had Patch."

"How do you know all this?"

"My brother was a haemophiliac," May frowned and looked at her feet as she spoke, "If he started bleeding we had to know where all the pressure points were so that we could stop him losing too much blood before we got him his medication - it made his blood clot, without it he just kept bleeding."

"Where is he now?"

"He's dead. He got hurt in a Loco attack. We had run out of medication for him and I couldn't stop the bleeding. He said it wasn't my fault."

The look on May's face told Zed that she disagreed, but that she would never say so. To do that would be to dishonour her brother's last words. May might do a lot of things, but she would never do that. Turning his attention back to the pile of rubble, Zed joined Kaz and some others in slowly extricating his friend.

--

Salene sat in her office, biting her lip and turning her pen over and over in her fingers. Were they doing the right thing, telling everyone about the pregnancy tonight? Was she doing the right thing giving up the post of City Leader? It was true, there were others out there whom she thought would be better suited to the post, but that didn't mean they would get it. She did want to take up the post as School-mistress and she was touched that Pride had asked her to take over the post once held by his own mother. But it had been arranged now, she told herself, and no amount of worrying could change that. She had made her decision, now she had to stand by it and make the best of whatever came of it.

--

Aeryn's face was wan and her skin cold and clammy to touch. Her breathing was shallow and her pulse weak. Dee and Angie stood constant guard over her while Patch tended to the other patients with the help of some other nurses.

Pride had left for the Mall, taking with him Alice, Denver, Nocona, Naduah and Avenir. He had offered them the shelter of the mall until they got themselves sorted out and Alice wanted to introduce Denver to Brady and Zac.

Patch hovered uncertainly over Helena's bed. The young amputee was looking much better and her pulse and breathing were stronger. Cat had left in search of Lex, with Ryan and Paul leading her round his usual haunts, but her patient appeared none the worse for the lack of her surgeon. He was so intent upon studying the change in this mysterious patient that he didn't notice Jetta and Jack wander up behind him.

"Patch!" Jetta called, for the third time. Patch looked round, startled.

"We, um, wondered if there is any more work needing done," Jack informed him.

"Oh. No, don't worry about it. Everything seems under control here. Jetta, do you want to take Angie too; you both need some sleep."

"Sure, but we'll be up at the mall for Salene and Pride's big announcement, you can bet on it!"  
Jetta retrieved her friend from Dee's side and, together with Jack, they headed off to the Mall.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Mega sat up, opened his eyes and immediately covered them from the bright light before him. Letting his eyes get used to the light he saw that the source of the light was the bright morning sun before him.

Standing up, shakily he looked around. He was in a disused part of the city, right out on the outskirts. How did he get here, he thought. The last thing he could remember was being flung flat on his face by the blast from the command post and rubble piling on top of him. The place seemed familiar; he was sure he had been here before, but the memory was too hazy. As his head cleared, so did his view of the surrounding area. Of course, he thought, how could he have forgotten it. This was where they had met, just six months ago. He looked over to where the caravan had been and was shocked to find it standing there.

This made no sense.

Cautiously, Mega advanced on the caravan. Every detail of it was perfect, right down to the unique roof garden. He gently pushed the door ajar and peered inside.

--

Dee hovered by Aeryn's bedside anxiously. Aeryn's face and arms were still cold and clammy and her pulse and breathing weak. Patch had no idea what had happened and had been filing through his old medical volumes incessantly. The only breaks he had taken were to check on other patients.

Dee had sent Cloe and Josh off to find Tai San and Cat. That was nearly an hour ago now and they still hadn't returned. Surely they would be back soon.

A small noise from the other end of the ward broke Dee's concentration and she looked round. Paul, standing nearby sensed her movement and looked up. Dee motioned to him to check on the source of the sound - the mysterious stranger Helena.

Taking up a pad and pencil, Paul walked up to the far end of the ward. He arrived just in time to see the now one-legged girl open her large, startling green eyes, and smile at him.

--

Jetta closed the door on Angie after making sure she was actually going to get some sleep.

"You know, your friend isn't the only workaholic round here," Jack told her.

"I know," she replied, deliberately misunderstanding, "Patch is a terrible workaholic when he has something on his mind."

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm really not tired."

"You could've fooled me!"

"Thanks!"

Jack grinned for what seemed like the first time in years. Jetta noticed and a smile flickered across her own face, his grin was infectious.

"Aren't you going to show me round here then?" Jetta asked, casually, "I've not really been here that long and I usually sleep in or near the hospital so I don't know the Mall well at all. One of the few things Chrisma did before Cloe stood up to her was take over the ward where Angie and I had been staying. Patch had all our things moved down here and Angie came down with them, but I've never been in here before today so now I wanna go explore. Come on, show me around, you know this place don't you?"

A frown passed over Jack's face for a second. He did know this place, or at least he used to. The nursery he'd noticed on the way in was entirely new. How much else had changed. Besides, He had always had some reason to stay: first his friend Dal, then Ellie. Both of them were now dead - what reason was there for him to stay any longer. He looked up at Jetta. She stared back at him with her large, pleading brown eyes and he relented.

"Sure, why not," Jack sighed.

"Do you know the Mall well?" Jetta asked, taking his arm as they turned to leave.

"Know it - My dad owned it!"

"Cool!"

"Well, only the electronics store, really."

"Still cool!"

Jetta smiled; that infectious grin had returned.

--

Cat wandered down the quiet side streets towards the marketplace. If she was right, Lex should be on patrol there.

When she walked out into the wide open area of the market place she was met by a throng of people, all going about their daily lives as if the Technos were a distant memory from a lifetime ago. I suppose in these times, when you are this young, Cat thought, six months often is a lifetime. She scanned the crowd for Lex, eventually picking out the unmistakable form of his hat. Making her way towards him she caught the sight of faces she had seen so many years ago, when they had been so much younger, not recognising her not because she had changed, but because she hadn't.

"Lex!" Cat called above the crowd.

Lex turned to identify the source of the sound. Seeing Cat striding towards him through the throng, he was surprised to see how much she made those around her look like young children. When she caught up with him he scrutinised her more closely, until she gave him an odd look and he looked away before speaking to her.

"What's up?" Lex asked.

"I need your help with something."

"Anything important?"

"A present for Patch and Dee."

"If you're looking for ideas," Lex held up his hands as he spoke, "You've got the wrong man. I know nothing when it comes to presents."

"Oh, I know what I want to get them," Cat answered slyly, "and I know where to find them too. It's simply a case of actually moving them."

"Now there's nothing illegal going on here, is there? 'Cause, y'know I couldn't be party to that being the sheriff!"

"Yes, Lex, whatever," was Cat's reply, she was quite sure most of Lex's dealings could be termed 'illegal' "but don't worry, the whole thing is well above board. Now: will you help me?"

"Yeah, sure. When?"

"Tonight, after Salene and Pride's announcement."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Mega advanced into the caravan and knelt by Aeryn's side. She lay on her bed, sleeping soundly, wearing the costume she had graced the day they met. He traced the line of her face gently with his hand. The eyes that had so captured him that day flickered open and she gently took his hand, but still held it close to her face. She looked up through the shaded glasses, into the cool clear eyes she loved, and smiled.

"Where are we?" Aeryn asked, her voice just above a whisper.

"Back where we started it seems. I don't know how."

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I felt a pain in my back. A burning pain. I was in the store cupboard, putting a bottle back on the shelf."

"How heavy was this bottle?"

"Don't be silly - it wasn't that. I know it wasn't. What I felt - it was like an explosion! What happened to you?"

Mega's face screwed up as he tried to remember clearly. He couldn't.

"I don't know," he said, finally, "I can't remember. The only clear thing I can remember is waking up here, where we met."

"We met outside."

"I was outside. I was sitting in exactly the same place where you found me."

"Well, you at least remember that clearly. What else do you remember after that? Do you remember the hospital? Our wedding?"

"Yes," Mega answered after what, to Aeryn, was an age, but in reality was only a few moments. After another pause she saw a smile flicker across her husband's face, "And I remember the wedding night too, late as it was!"

Aeryn laughed with relief. That, at least, brought Mega's memory loss nearly up to date. Now what about that mission Zed took him on.

"Do you remember Patch? You were helping him with something before you left."

"Yes, it was a surprise for Dee, for their wedding."

"And do you remember Zed? He came to take you to something one of the search parties found. Do you remember what it was?"

Another few moments of silence passed while Mega concentrated.

"I remember Zed. I remember Jack - we met him on the road. I remember the command post and the computers. I know we did find something but...I can't remember what!"

Aeryn sighed and sat up on her bed. As her husband's face became more and more confused and frustrated, she pulled him towards her and held him close.

"Don't worry," she told him, "We'll get through this."

--

Dee and Tai San hovered over Aeryn, puzzling over her condition. Patch emerged from his office and wandered over to join them. He sat down on the bed next to Aeryn's left side and tried to find a pulse in her lifeless wrist. Dee sat down behind him and, slipping her arm around him, rested her head on his shoulder.

"How's she doing?" Dee whispered in his ear.

"Her pulse is still weak," Patch answered, wearily, "I can't figure out what's wrong. My books are no help. What do you think, Tai San?"

Tai San regarded the couple for a few moments from her seat on Aeryn's opposite side. They had grown so close to each other these past few months. After the deposition of the Technos, Aeryn and Mega had become their closest friends and had had much to do with Patch and Dee's engagement and growing confidence with each other. They were perfectly matched, she thought.

"I really don't know," Tai San admitted, "I've never seen or even heard of this sort of thing happening before. Dee's told me what happened and it doesn't make any sense. Maybe she could have just fainted, but there was no sign she hit her head when she fell so she should have woken up by now."

"I wish we could get in touch with Mega," said Dee, "If only we'd kept more of the Techno com-links."

"He should be back soon anyway," Patch reminded her, "Zed told me he only expected that they would be away a few days. This is the third day."

"I suppose. I just wish we could get him back here sooner. She needs to be with him!"

--

Paul sat with Helena chatting happily. For once he had found someone he could converse with. Helena's sister had also been deaf from birth and she was fluent in the deaf-dumb sign language Paul had been taught. His pad and pencil lay idly on the coverlet next to him.

Helena was slightly older than him, which reminded him of his sister, but her sister had been even older; she had caught the virus and died along with Helena's parents long ago. Paul told Helena all about his sister, their short time at the mall before he had run away and how when he had reappeared she had vanished. He told her about Lex and how the older boy, who had tormented him so much long ago, now looked after him like a brother. He told her about Ryan and Salene and all the other Mall Rat's, living and dead. In return she told him her own story: how she had been taken by the Chosen and forced to work in the mines, then by the Technos to work in the power station. She told him all about a boy she had met in the mines: she didn't know his name and he didn't know hers, but he had helped her once when an accident in the mines had almost killed her. He didn't even know who she was and he had risked his life to save her.

Paul watched Helena's face grow brighter as she remembered her lost hero. He hoped she found him, it obvious to him that, whoever this boy was, he had a claim on Helena's heart that no-one could match.

--

Salene and Pride stood looking out of the window of Salene's office. She was nervous. She didn't want to tell everyone their news; what if telling them jinxed her. She couldn't bear to go through that again. She had barely survived last time. Last time. Her child would have been a year old by now had it lived. More than that. Pride moved closer to her and held her close. His warmth comforted her. At least he wouldn't be taken from her this time, as Ryan had before.

"You don't have to tell them about the baby tonight," Pride offered, "We can just tell them about the school and leave it at that."

"No, they'll all know soon enough. It's best we tell them before they work it out for themselves. And anyway," she lied, "I want everyone to know our good news."

Pride kissed the top of her head, gently. He could tell when she was lying, even if it was to stop him worrying. He knew her reasons and he didn't say anything.

--

Lex walked through the market place, on patrol. In his mind he turned over the occurrences of the day: Cat's appearance amongst the usual hustle and bustle of the market; the comparison his mind had immediately made between her and the others around her; her request for his aid; her explanation of why it was needed.

A movement to one side of him caught his eye. Turning he saw Siva and a group of her militia marching through the crowd. Best to keep clear, he thought, and give her some space. As the he removed his hat and slid out of sight behind a stall, he watched the militia stop and his ex-wife look about her; probably looking for him, he surmised.

As he watched, unseen, from his hiding place, Lex saw Siva order her men to wait then, by herself, disappear into the crowds towards a group of stalls. Lex followed the braided head with his eyes. He saw Siva stop and talk to someone beside a stall Lex had not yet worked up the courage to try and extract tithes from. Willing the crowd to move and give him a better view, Lex risked edging a bit further out of his cover. For little more than an instant, the crowds parted to show the face of the person Siva was talking to. It was Chrisma, looking every bit as evil as when she had stormed out of the hospital. Lex sank back into the shadows: he had seen enough.

--

Jack and Jetta stood on the roof of the mall, looking out over the city.

"It's so beautiful," Jetta breathed, quietly.

The sun was receding into the West as they watched. Jack had given Jetta the full tour of the Mall, starting at the sewers entrance and working their way up to where they now stood on the roof.

"Salene tried to jump from up here once," Jack told her, pensively, "so did Ellie."

"Did things really get that bad for them?"

"Sal had just lost Ryan and then the baby; Ellie had just lost Luke, then me."

"I am sorry about Ellie, Jack."

As she spoke, Jetta took Jack's hand, gently. A soft smile crept upon his face. Ellie's memory wasn't quite so painful now: now that he had told Alice; now he had reached his friends and his home; now he had met Jetta. He looked out to the sunset gathering before him in the West. The sun was setting on Ellie's time, but not on his own.

"Goodbye Ellie," he said.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The nursery was extremely busy for once. Apart from Trudy and Hawk, who now ran the nursery themselves, without Amber's help, Brady, Zac, Mouse and Sammy, there were also the newly named Denver and Avenir, Alice, Bray, Nocona and Naduah. Amber, yet again, had disappeared.

"So how are the wedding plans going, Bray?" Alice asked as she attempted to stop Denver demolishing Zac's pile of play-bricks.

"Not too bad," Bray answered, comforting his son and trying to encourage him to keep building, "I've asked Ryan to be my best man and he assures me his speech won't be too embarrassing - I believe him more than I would Lex on that matter. We got everything ready months ago, it just kinda went on hold while I was busy being a..., well, you know."

"So everything is ready for the big day. Only how long to go now?"

"Three days. We arranged it for the day after Dee and Patch's wedding. I don't know how they've managed to get theirs sorted out so quickly."

"I think they've had a lot of help from the nursing staff!" Alice laughed.

"I heard Patch has set up a secret venue. Any idea where?"

No, I've not been around here enough recently to catch any clues or gossip. Speaking of which, who's the new doctor? She kinda stands out a bit."

"She's Cat. Lex and Tai San found her when they tried to run away and ended up bringing her back here. She is different," Bray mused, "I don't know what it is about her but she seems, like, older and more, I don't know, mature. But then, I suppose we thought that about Pride and the Gaians when we first met them, just because they had spent so long living off the land."

"True. But she dresses so simply. And she wears no make up at all, let alone any tribal markings!"

"As a traveller, I guess she wouldn't have had much access to that kind of stuff."

--

Skye sat on her bed in one of the rooms of the mall with her legs out in front of her, balancing a book in her good hand and trying to read. Next to her, Slade lay sleeping. He looked peaceful, she thought, more so than he had in days, no weeks, of sleeping rough. For all that she had given him a hard time about his reasons for leading them to the city, Skye was glad Jack had managed to bring them home safely.

Deciding that it was about time she actually went and said sorry to Jack for the way she had treated him, and thank you to him for what he had achieved, Sky got up off of the bed, put her book, which she was failing miserably in her attempt to read, to one side and headed off to find Jack. Her first port of call was the cafe, but she merely found Ryan in there, with a few of her own companions from the camp, pouring over his best man's speech and trying to remember what he had done with the rings. Wandering down the stairs towards the fountain, she heard voices and looked to see where they were coming from. Finding it to be the group of children, parents and Hawk in the nursery, Skye continued onward. She had barely reached the bottom of the stairs when she heard Jay calling after Ebony and turned to see Ebony cross the balcony, run down the stairs, hastily pulling on her jacket as she went, pass Skye and run out through the door with a look like thunder on her face. Jay was hot on her heels, his jacket still in his hand, although he did pause to apologise to Skye for rushing past her in such a brusque manner.

Rolling her eyes at the welcome craziness of everyday life at the mall, Skye carried on around the ground floor of the mall. As she passed Alice's old room, she noticed the door was ajar and paused. Out of sheer curiosity, she gently pushed the door open. There was a girl lying on the bed, her yellow and orange top peeking out from under a thin blanket: Skye recognised her as Angie, a nurse from the hospital. Leaving Angie to sleep, Skye turned to go, but as she did so she heard her boot squeak on the floor and Angie turned round.

"Can I help you?" Angie asked, noticing Skye's sling and recognising her from the hospital.

"No," Skye said, sheepishly, turning back to face her, "I was just looking for Jack."

"Oh. I think he went to show Jetta round the mall. This is our first night here, you see. She thought I was asleep but I heard them talking. I think they started down here then worked their way up. Why don't you try upstairs? I certainly haven't heard them come back down again, and Jetta would probably come in here to check I was okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she likes making sure everyone is okay whether they are her patient or not. But I'd try upstairs anyway: you'll probably bump into them up there somewhere."

Skye nodded and closed the door behind her as she left. Climbing back up the stairs she heard two people come in through the main door of the mall below; their giggling was unmistakable, She didn't even have to turn round to know it was Cloe and Josh, the two kids Chrisma had had a go at whilst Skye was at the hospital. Onward and upward, Skye told herself as she once again passed the cafe on her way round the first floor of the mall. There was no sign of Jack or Jetta so she continued up the stairs to the second floor then the roof.

--

Jack stood leaning against the perimeter railing on the roof. Jetta still held his hand, he had made no attempt to stop her. This was the happiest he had been in six months and he hadn't felt this much at peace with himself for much longer. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the breeze lift Jetta's blue hair back from her neck. As he turned his head to give her his full attention she closed her eyes and lifted her face to meet the cool evening breeze. They would have to go down soon for dinner and that meeting Salene had called. There would never be another moment like this.

Taking his arm off of the railing, Jack gently turned Jetta's face towards his own. Briefly, so briefly, their lips met. Her free hand caressed his cheek then slid round the back of his neck and pulled him closer. As the kiss grew deeper, he slid his arms around her waist and held her close to him. Neither of them noticed Skye walk through the roof door and stop in her tracks as she saw them. Neither of them noticed Skye's eyebrows slide up almost to her forehead as she turned on her heel and hurried back the way she had come.

Well, well, thought Skye, perhaps he's not as cut up as I thought he was!


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Trudy," Naduah called.

"Yes?" Trudy answered, handing Brady to Hawk.

"Is the nursery only for those who live in the mall?"

"No, of course not. It's here for everyone who needs it. You're not thinking of leaving us are you?"

"Well, yes, actually. Nocona and I feel that we want to raise Avenir in a proper home. Besides, it will be much easier for me to find my way round a small house."

"I've found us an apartment not far from here," cut in Nocona, "it hasn't been too badly ravaged and I should be able to get it all sorted out in a day."

"We talked about it," continued Naduah, "and we want to stay close to the city, and the hospitals, at least while Avenir is young. We may go back to our home when she is a little older."

"Oh," said Trudy, a little surprised at the couple's eagerness to attempt a normal life, "of course, if that's what you want. You are welcome to leave Avenir here while you tidy up the place and move in, if you want."

"That would be great," said Nocona.

"We just didn't want to assume anything," added Naduah.

--

May and her team pulled the last of the rocks off of Mega. His pulse was weak, but it was there. His face was cut and bruised by the rocks and his back and shirt had been burnt by the blast. May ordered her team to lift him carefully onto another of their makeshift stretchers, placing him chest down with his head on one side. May called for water as Zed shuffled over to her.

"How's he doing?" Zed asked.

"Xaviour, get some rest," May ordered him, but he didn't budge.

"It's Zed!" Zed replied irritably, "May, I need to know! And we need to get him back to the city."

"I know. Look, he's not good. I don't even know why he's still alive, from the look of him he should be dead. I don't think he'll make it back to the city."

"But Aeryn...," Zed's voice began to crack, "and Patch: he was going to be his best man!"

"We can't worry about that now. We have to concentrate on doing our best for him. As he is. Now. Not as he was going to be."

Silent tears rolled down Zed's face. He blames himself, thought May. Why should he: I sent him to get Mega, Ram set the trap.

The bucket of water, drawn fresh from a nearby stream, was placed beside Mega's stretcher. May took up some rags and set to work. Piece by piece she sponged off the torn and burnt shirt, sometimes taking off the top layer of skin with it. When she had finished the light was beginning to fail. The team around her quickly helped dress the wounds with clean bandages, while Zed stood, helpless, watching her.

--

Mega raised his head and looked up at his wife.

"Supposing there was something went wrong," he said, "and I was hurt. that still wouldn't explain why you are here too."

"No, I can't explain that either," Aeryn answered, "But then there are a lot of things in this world that I can't explain, it doesn't stop them being true."

Mega sat back against a cupboard on the far side of the Caravan and regarded his wife. He was calmer now. Whatever mess he had got himself into, he wasn't in it alone. Aeryn watched him as he closed his eyes and concentrated his thoughts, not on working his way forward in time from before his black spot, but from the moment he woke up here backwards. His eyes flickered and his breathing increased as memories started to come back to him. Aeryn slid off the bed and knelt before him, resting her hand on his one raised knee. As she watched him, he opened his eyes and lifted his head from where it had been propped in his hand. He looked at her and slid his hand over her own. The fear in Aeryn's eyes redoubled as they met his own. He pulled her close to her and held her tightly before he spoke.

"I still don't know what we found," he said, quietly, "but I know it was important, vitally important. Whatever it was, it was booby trapped. The computer system set off and explosion. I was caught in it. The last I remember was the blast catching me as I ran out of the building and the pain in my back that you felt too. I don't know what kind of state I'm in Aeryn, but the way things look, I'm either dead already, or I soon will be."

--

Patch re-entered the ward, closely followed by a giggling Cloe and Josh. Thanking them and telling them to head back to the mall and tell Salene they were on their way, he walked over to his fiancée and Tai San as they sat by Aeryn's bedside. As he drew near, he saw Dee dart forward and rushed to her side, fearing the worst.

"It's a tear!" Dee cried, confused.

"W-what?" Patch asked arriving at the head of Aeryn's bed and looking at the still unconscious, but still living face.

As Dee had said there was a single, solitary tear trailing a wet line of eye make-up down one side of Aeryn's face.

--

Jetta was the first to pull away from the kiss. As soon as she did so, Jack blushed and started muttering apologies.

"It's okay," she reassured him, "I just figured we should be getting back inside now. You know, for the meeting?"

"Oh. Uh. Yeah, I guess."

When they entered the cafe, dinner was already underway and they were quick in helping themselves before the last morsels disappeared. Salene told them not to worry about being late as they were still missing Dee, Patch, Tai San and Siva, although she didn't think Siva would turn up.

Skye whispered something to Slade as they sat down and Slade shot a quick surprised glance at them then returned to his meal. As they ate, Dee, Patch and Tai San arrived, Tai San taking her place at Lex's side. Lex, took her hand and kissed her forehead before whispering something to her that caused a shocked and worried look to spread across her face. When everyone, bar Siva and those still in the hospital, were assembled, Salene stood up and Pride walked over to her side looking every inch the name he had chosen for himself.

"Pride and I have an announcement," Salene began.

"We got that bit!" Lex interrupted. Salene shot him a look then continued.

"First of all, the good news: I have recently found out that I am ..." Salene stopped, fear and memories returning to her mind as her eyes passed over Ryan's docile countenance. Steeling herself she continued, "I'm pregnant."

Pride beamed, wholly unaware of Ryan in the background, and wrapped his arms around Salene.

"Isn't it wonderful!" he said.

Everyone cheered and smiled with the exception of Ryan, Trudy and Amber. Even Ebony smiled. Strengthened by this reception, Salene continued:

"The bad news is that we, that is I, feel that I cannot continue as City Leader. I am intending to tender my resignation to the City and will be taking up a post as School-mistress at the new school, if that is agreeable to the new City Leader. I will start the election process tomorrow."

There was a mixed reaction to this news. Some were sad to see Salene give up her post; others thought it was time for a change; a few thought they could do the job better themselves anyway, one of whom stood up.

"Well," said Ebony, "I'm sure we'll all miss Salene, but the city must keep moving. I'm sure we'll all be there for the nominations tomorrow and I'm sure whoever takes over will prove an excellent replacement."

"No matter who they are?" Amber quipped, under her breath. Ebony shot her a look but said nothing; instead she simply settled herself in Jay's lap, trailing her arm, lazily, around his neck. Jay smiled up at her, glad of the respite from their current bickering. Salene rolled her eyes and continued.

"Unless anyone else has anything to add, I think we should be moving on. We have some new members to welcome: Nocona and Naduah, with their daughter Avenir, have decided to stay in the city, however, not in the mall; Angie and Jetta have moved into the mall today and I hope everyone will remember to keep noise levels down when they are on the night shift at the hospital," at this Salene glanced towards where the two girls sat and noticed Jack flash a smile at Jetta, obviously thinking no-one would notice as they sat at the very back of the room, "ahem, Skye and Slade have decided to join the Mall Rats also; Josh, another of the hospital helpers, has asked if he can think about joining us; Hawk will be staying indefinitely, as will Trudy and Brady; Cat, our newest doctor, is staying in the Mall, but has not yet decided if she wants to remain here. Also, Alice has decided to name her baby Denver in memory of his father, Ned, and Ved, who died minutes after the child was born. We will remember them both."

Alice, Cloe and Jay smiled as they heard the names mentioned. As Salene sat down and turned to Pride to talk privately, everyone rose to go and wandered off on their own paths. Dee and Patch, hoping to return to the hospital with Cat in tow, looked around for the new addition to their team. Patch caught a glimpse of her disappearing with Lex into a room at the far end of the hall and decided not to follow. Taking Tai San and Angie back with them, they returned to the hospital.

In the room at the end of the hall, Lex watched as Cat hung up her bright green shirt and pulled off her green hair bands. Her hair was shoulder length and would have been straight if it had not spent so long in its usual bun; now it hung with a slight wave and the collected uncleanliness of her previous journey and her daily toil in the hospital left her dark brown hair almost black. Her black trousers and bodysuit both showed up the best in her figure and hid it in the shadows of the poorly lit room. Pulling off her glasses, Cat flung some cold water over her face and pulled over a towel to dry her face with. As she had her face buried in the large towel, Salene opened the door.

"Lex, can I have a word about the arrangements for tomorr..." Salene started, not seeing Lex leaning against the wall and hidden by the door, "oh, sorry, Cat, I thought..."

"I'm over here Sal," Lex grinned, "I know it's dark in here but surely you can tell the difference between us!"

Cat lifted her head from the towel, flung it to one side, put on her glasses and glanced at the amused look on Lex's face then at the puzzled one on Salene's.

"Sorry, it's just ... you guys are scarily alike in this light."

"What were you wanting Salene?" Lex asked, dryly.

"Oh, um, I just wanted to make sure you would be there tomorrow at the nominations. You know: to keep the peace, just in case?"

"Yeah, I'll be there. Anything else?"

"No."

"Then if you don't mind..." Lex indicated toward the door with his thumb.

"Sure," Salene mumbled as she left, still shell-shocked at catching a glimpse of a female version of Lex.

"So," Lex began as Cat tied her hair back with black bands and pulled out a couple of empty rucksacks, "Where are we going and what are we going for?"

"You'll see," Cat answered in the same, militaristic tone, "How much can you carry?"

"As much as any girl anyway!"

"Right. Here," she flung one of the rucksacks over to him, "It's empty now, but it won't be when we get back here. You won't get much sleep tonight by the way."

"Great! Remind me why I'm doing this?"

"Because you want to help me get a really good present for Dee and Patch that will be of benefit to everyone else as well," Cat answered, then added: "including yourself!"

Lex smirked as she strapped on a flat, wide belt of tools.

"I thought you said this was all above board."

"It is. We are going to a semi-public building to which I should have access and the contents of which are now no-one's property. If anyone has any right to them it would be me as I'm probably the only person left who was ever in the building and I choose to give some of them to Patch. Happy."

"No, when are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"When we get there. Now let's go."

Following orders, blindly, Lex hoisted his rucksack and followed Cat out of the room. Once they were out of the Mall their mutual dark clothing and hair protected them from prying eyes as they stole through the city streets toward a sector of the city Lex had long since pushed to the back of his mind.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

May's company travelled through the night, scouts with torches lighting their way. Mega's pulse, though frequently checked, did not get any stronger and May feared he was bleeding internally. Zed refused to be parted from Mega's side, even when the bedraggled bunch stopped for much needed rests. May led them on, to the city, always hoping to see the end of the trees, but knowing it would be dawn before they would catch their first glimpse of the new city lights.

--

Lex looked up at the big, blockish building before him. The outer doors of the library were formed of heavy wood: a throwback to the building's predecessor that had burnt down during an unfortunate period most architects chose to forget. There was no way they could have broken those doors down, which was the main reason, possibly, that the building had not yet been despoiled.

"Hold the light steady, Lex," Cat commanded as she worked at the arcane lock with her tools.

"So, what exactly are you hoping to find in here?" Lex asked, dubiously.

"Books, my dear boy, books!"

"And they would make a perfect wedding present for Dee and Patch?"

"Some of them would, yes."

"Why?"

"Do you know what they used to teach in this university, Lex?"

"Quite a lot of things, I should imagine."

"Well, yes. But one of those things was medicine and they were good at it too. They had, have, all of the most up-to-date text books and research in here."

"Ah," he said, the penny finally dropping, "you want to get some medical books for Patch, so that he can learn to be a good doctor, Dee can call him a doctor without him correcting her all the time and everyone benefits from the fact he is better at his job."

"Exactly."

The lock finally clicked into place and, with the compulsory complaining creak, the door opened. Following the black clad woman into the inky darkness of the library, Lex shone his torch around and barely missed walking into a full panel glass door.

"Great, there's no lock on these doors," Lex exclaimed as he flashed his torch along the wall of glass doors to where Cat was standing at the opposite end.

"Come here," she said, "I need that light."

Doing as he was told, Lex walked over to her. She was standing next to what looked like a fuse box, mounted on the wall. Once again, she was busy picking a lock.

This is the circuit breaker for the building," she informed him, "once we trip it, we should get the power back on."

Sure enough, inside the box there was a circuit breaker and, after some determined fiddling around, a few lights twinkled on inside the building and the two nearest glass doors swung open of their own accord.

"They're automatic," Cat said, seeing Lex's frown, "They saw you coming."

"Just like you, huh?" Lex joked, before following her through into the building.

"Come on," Cat called, "The medical section is on level 6, although I usually got waylaid in the level underneath it."

"This is level 1 right?"

"No, that's the basement, this is level 2."

"Less stairs to climb, I suppose."

"Yeah. The stairs are just here," Cat said as they turned a corner into a central atrium with a square stairwell spiralling up around a block of glass elevators, "When we get up there you are looking for things like text books on anatomy, surgical procedure, medicine in general; they should all be in two aisles marked 'Medicine'."

"Ah," Lex stopped as they reached the first landing, at level 3, "Problem."

"What?"

"I might need a bit of help with the names thing."

"You don't know how to spell them?"

"I don't know how to read! Never quite got the hang of it when I was younger."

"Ah. Not at all?"

"Nope, well, I know what the letters are."

"I see."

Cat stopped to think for a moment. There was no way she could afford the time to baby-sit Lex. She was equally bereft of the time to return to the mall and find a literate helper for her task. There was only one thing she could do; one ace she could play.

"Take of your pack and sit down," she commanded, indicating some chairs on the landing.

"What's the plan?" Lex asked, obeying.

"If you know the letters, you must have some memory of the ability to read, or at least learning them. We just need to remind you of that."

"How?"

"Just a simple psychological technique. Just relax and listen to me; do everything I say and don't ask questions."

Lex nodded, used to Tai San's weird tricks that usually had much less solid bases than psychology. Locking eyes with him, Cat lowered her voice to a soft, whispering alto, placed her left hand on Lex's head with her thumb resting in the middle of his forehead and raised her right index finger so that it stood halfway between the path of their eyes.

"Listen to my voice. Focus on my finger. Relax. Let your mind go blank. Your eyes are getting heavy, you will soon be asleep. You will hear the sound of my voice and you will respond to me. You will follow my commands. Sleep now."

As Lex's eyes closed, Cat placed her right hand on his head, next to her left, again letting the thumb rest on his forehead. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Go back. Back to when you were happy. Where are you? Tell me."

"I'm at the mall."

"What is happening?"

"Zan's pregnant. The antidote worked - I'm well again and I'm gonna be a Dad!"

"Go back further. Before the virus. Where are you now?"

"Standing in a line waiting to be shouted at. Ma'am's laying into another new kid just now; he's kinda shy, he just takes it."

"Back further again. Back to your first year at school. Do you remember learning your letters?"

"Yes."

"What are you doing now?"

"Teacher is drawing letters on the chalkboard. She wants me to spell out the word."

"And can you?"

"I can say the letters, but she wants to know what the word is. I should know. I don't know. I don't know."

"Go a little bit forward, your next year at school. Can you make the words now?"

"Some. Teacher wants me to read a line from a book. I know some of the words but I don't think I am getting the others right. Teacher says I'm stupid. I don't want to be stupid. I don't like this game."

"What are you reading?"

"It's a book with lots of pictures. There are words underneath the pictures."

"Can you remember reading all of that book and understanding it?"

"No."

Cat screwed up her eyes in frustration, but never opened them. She had been hoping she wouldn't have to do this.

"Let your mind go blank. Listen only to the sound of my voice. My knowledge is your knowledge. Hear me," Lex's eyelids flickered in their deep trance as Cat paused, "What do you see?"

"I see the Professor. He's talking to our class, about broken bones. I'm taking notes."

"Look down at the notes: can you read them?"

"Yes."

Cat relaxed her hold on Lex's head.

"Remember what you have learned but not how you have learnt it," she said, opening her eyes and fixing them, once again, on his, "Wake up now: open your eyes and come back to yourself and the present."

Lex slowly opened his eyes to look straight into Cat's.

"What did you just do?" Lex asked, dreamily.

"Like I said," she answered, "just a bit of simple psychology."

--

Tai San had returned to the mall with Angie, leaving Patch and Dee half sitting, half lying on the adjacent bed to Aeryn's, fast asleep, and Cloe and Josh on night watch.

In Patch's office, Josh sat on a bench, with his coltish legs stretched out in front of him, reading an old book. Cloe was asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. He didn't mind, they were good friends now. Besides, as long as one of them stayed awake, that was all that mattered really.

--

Helena slept peacefully, coming to terms with the loss of her leg much easier because the alternative may have been the loss of her life. Paul had returned to the mall with the promise that he and his friends Ryan, Alice and Denver would come back to see her tomorrow. Now, Helena's dreams were filled with sweet remembrances of her hero from the mines and how she wished it could be him coming to see her tomorrow instead.

--

Salene lay awake in her sleeping lover's arms. Pride had been so proud at dinner he hadn't even noticed the pang of pain that had shot across Ryan's face. He hadn't noticed much of anyone's faces for the whole evening, he had been so excited. Faces. So many faces with so much to tell. What was that glance for that she had noticed passing between Jack and Jetta? Surely there couldn't be something going on there, they had only just met. Perhaps that was all it was, a sign of welcome: acceptance and happy meeting. Yes, she thought, that must be it. But what about the mistake she had made later, when she had followed Lex and Cat to Cat's room along the corridor. The girl, woman, had been so like Lex, with the dark to hide her figure and her hair hanging lank around her un-spectacled face. The likeness had been so close. Why had Lex and Tai San risked so much to bring her back here? Had it simply been because of the reasons they had given, or was there more to it? And what were they up to? Salene rarely knew what went through Lex's mind, but she could tell when he was up to something. And what, oh what, had she started with the elections. Ebony was sure to end up one candidate and, the way things had been going recently, she was certain Amber would be another. How would this battle end?

Her head full of tumultuous thoughts, Salene eventually drifted off to sleep, one hand resting, protectively, over her stomach.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Lex followed Cat up the stairs, half in a dream. He glanced at signs when they reached the landings and found he could read them.

"What did you do to me?" Lex called up to Cat, "I can read. Don't just say it was some simple mind trick, I want to know more than that."

"It was just simple hypnosis," Cat sighed, "I took your subconscious memory from way back when you were getting to grips with words and brought it forward into your conscious. Just a 'simple mind trick'. That's all."

"You're lying."

"What makes you say that?"

"I never learnt any words longer than one syllable. I found them hard enough and gave up without bothering to learn the rest. Now I can read every word on these signs: Philosophy; Art History; English Literature; Electrical Engineering. I know what they mean too: there is no way that could have been in my memory. What aren't you telling me? I want answers!"

Cat turned and continued walking up the stairs. She had told him everything she would; the rest he would either work out for himself in due course or forget about. Lex ran up the stairs behind her and, when they reached the next landing together, grabbed her shoulder. The boy had no sooner touched Cat than he sprung back as if from an electrical shock. Cat felt it too, but she had been expecting it. Another memory had passed between them and this time Lex had full knowledge of how it did so.

Lex stopped: startled by the clear flashback in his mind of someone else's life. He shook his head and looked around him. The landing they were on was marked Level 5: Medieval History; Folklore Studies; Mythology and Legend. He had a perfect memory of being there before: of walking through the door beside him, past the rows of more used books to the very back of the room, where all the books were covered with such a thick layer of dust their titles were indiscernible. He turned to the door: he had to know.

--

Mega sat on the floor of the caravan, holding Aeryn close to him. There was something he had to tell her, something important. Her head rested on his shoulder. Stroking her soft hair, he bent his head and kissed her forehead. There were tears running, silently, down her cheeks when she looked up at him. All of a sudden the pain hit him: what if he was dying, and he was almost sure that he was, and he would never have the chance to see her again, to hold her again? All the conversations they started and never finished because there would always be another day for them: what if they had run out of 'other days'? He raised her chin and kissed her lips. As she returned the kiss, he pulled her closer, unwilling to let her go. The desperation, inside them, not to be parted, welled up like blood from a wound. Taking in every sight, smell, sound, touch, even taste, the lovers entwined, determined not to be separated without a fight.

--

May heard something crumple behind her and swung her flashlight around onto where Zed was kneeling on the forest floor.

"Xav..., Zed, you can't go on like this," she told him, inducing a 'no kidding' look from some of her followers, "Stay here with Kaz for the night. Don't worry, we'll get him home; alive if possible."

"I have to ... go ... on ... ," Zed gasped, his lungs burning as he fought to catch his breath.

"Tough," said Kaz, "You can't. You're no use to him as you are and you're only holding the rest of the team up. You are staying here with me and we will join them at the hospital tomorrow, after some rest."

Zed didn't have the strength to argue: his entire body ached with minor burns and bruises and he had used up much of what strength he had had left hauling wreckage off of Mega back at the command post. That had done for his arms, now the walk had done for his legs. Nodding compliance, he let May continue on and leave him and Kaz behind, with one torch between them. Kaz was quick in making a fire and setting up camp and soon Zed was lying flat out on a blanket, another draped gently over him, sound asleep.

--

Helena dreamed of her hero. She felt so silly: he had saved her numerous times and she had never got up the courage even to ask his name when she thanked him. He was everything a good man should be: strong-willed and strong in body; kind and gentle, with polite and civilised manners; good humoured and, in her eyes at least, handsome. Her friends at the mines, what few she had had, had teased her about him: they had said he was a nice enough guy, but not anyone special and too plain in looks. Helena disagreed: she saw the beauty in him and in his character that, to her, made him the most special person in the world. The only thing that she didn't like about him was that he seemed to be in love with someone else. She had overheard him talking to another worker about his wife and how she had joined the Chosen to keep their baby safe. When she had heard that, Helena had given up any hope that, in real life, he would ever love her, but she couldn't stop the fantasies entering her dreams.

--

Lex walked straight down the aisle to the farthest, and darkest, reaches of the room. He turned exactly where he had remembered turning and saw the books he remembered seeing. Now there was a difference in the dust covering: old fingerprints showed where the books had been pulled out from the shelf and, when Lex pulled one of them out to look at the front cover, there was only a thin film of dust over the title, which read, in spidery lettering "Charmes and Potions".

"Be careful, it's very old," said Cat, walking up beside him.

"These are what distracted you: these books," Lex murmured, incredulously, "These are your prints on them, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"They're all about magic?"

"Most of them; some are about demonology."

"Oh, well that changes everything!" Lex started, sarcastically, "For a minute there you had me worried!"

Catching sight of an open book on a desk set into the rows of bookcases, Lex went over to it and flipped it back to its cover page. The writing there was in Latin, but he could read it.

"'Aevum Liberatio," he read, "It means 'free time'. What does that mean?"

"You tell me."

"How should I know?"

"The same way you knew about the books."

Lex concentrated: the knowledge was there, but the logical part of his brain was saying that it couldn't be true. He shook off the uneasy feeling and headed back to the stairwell.

"Come on," he called back to Cat, "Let's get what we came for and get out of here."

The door on level 6, the level containing all the medical books and journals, was locked with a numerical code pad. Lex automatically punched in the code and walked into the room, only stopping for a few seconds once he was inside the door to wonder how he had known it, then shaking off the worry as he had in the level below. Cat walked past him as he paused and headed towards the textbook area.

"You take that side," she said, "I'll take this. Take only the books you think will be of most use for the moment, you can come back for more at a later date now you know where everything is."

Wandering along the row, finding he recognised most of the books he saw before him, Lex quickly picked out the looked for volumes and deposited them in his rucksack. Now he knew as much of what he was doing as Cat did, it appeared, the job was done much quicker than either had expected, though not quite quickly enough to make up for all their detours. As they were leaving, a strap on Cat's pack snapped and Lex turned to catch the weighty satchel.

"I guess I never quite took into account what the rucksack could carry when I was deciding what I could," Cat joked as they re-strapped and resettled the pack.

As he checked the pack was secure, an idea formed in Lex's head. This woman knew much more than she was telling him. He knew Cat also was aware that only a few memories had passed between them: enough to give him most of the knowledge of her medical course, which would definitely come in handy, and some of her knowledge of magic, which his mind was currently rebelling against and trying to relegate to its deeper recesses. There were more memories there: some of which he was sure he should already share, but could not reach. Drawing upon all his courage, he placed his hand upon her shoulder. Immediately an image flashed into his mind: an image he recognised. As Cat spun away from him the image vanished. Grabbing her wrist, Lex pulled her back to look him straight in the face. The image returned, clearer.

"You don't want to know this," Cat told him, trying to pull away his iron-strong grasp.

"I _have_ to know this," he answered.

The image unfolded in their minds. For the first time in years, Lex saw his mother's face as she waved goodbye to him from the car outside their window. He was only one year old and his sister had been left to look after him. She was older, much older. She had been born before their parents had married, when they were very young, in fact she was the reason for their marriage. Twenty-one years later, possibly as a result of carelessness, he had been born. From the play pen she had put him in, he watched his sister writing notes from books, old university books. Why was she always buried in books? What could be so interesting about them? When she had finished the chapter she had been working on she came over to him and took him out of his pen. They played with building blocks for a while, then she took him upstairs and put him to bed. Saying goodnight, she kissed his forehead and pulled her fingers out of his small, but tight, grasp and left the room. It was the last time he had seen her and it was eighteen years ago, but she now she looked exactly as she did then.

"You left us," he said accusingly as the image cleared, "You were meant to be looking after me and you left us."

"I had to go."

"Why?"

"I found out I was different. I couldn't risk anyone else finding out. How do you think Mum and Dad would have felt if they'd found out that their beloved daughter, who they'd hoped would be a doctor like her father, was a witch!"

"But how are you so ... I mean, you were ..."

"Aevum Liberatio, Lex. It worked. I've been twenty two for the past eighteen years. That was why I couldn't stay. That was why, when I finally did come back to the city, no-one knew me. To those who knew me I was either heading for forty or, more likely, dead. Nobody expected to see me now as I was then, so nobody saw me at all. Now do you understand? Now will you let me go?"

Lex released her wrist, cursing himself when he saw a bruise starting to swell to mark the place he had been holding. He watched her walk silently out of the room and back to the stairs, then followed her. The walk back to the mall was almost silent, broken only by Lex's occasional questions about her, their parents, what had happened after she left and what she was planning to do now. The last of which she could only answer with a weary "I don't know".

--

Aeryn lay in her husband's arms, trying to chase away the nightmarish thoughts that feared were true. She felt him raise his head and kiss her cheek.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Mega answered quietly.

Somewhere, music was playing. They both recognised the words.

_You fill up my senses, ... Like a night in the forest,_

"That's your song," Mega smiled.

"Hmm."

"You know, I never will understand why you changed your name."

"Same reason as you changed yours I expect: after the virus the old world was gone. It was a new world, a new life ... A new name."

"No, I changed my name because I had parents with terrible taste in names and I hated the one they gave me. I like your name."

"Which one?" Aeryn teased.

"Both," her husband answered, diplomatically, "although I prefer the original one: it suits you, just like the song does."

Once again there was the feeling that there was something important he had to tell her. As a frown passed over his face he heard a rustling over on the far side of the caravan. Looking towards the noise, he saw a tiny mouse emerge from under the bed.

"What kind of mouse is that?" Mega asked, sure that it was, for some reason, important.

"It's a dormouse. Why?"

"Oh, I just thought ... Wait a minute, the operation, that's it. We found a project of Ram's: Operation Dormouse. I downloaded all the data to my laptop, and I printed it out too, but when the data transfer had finished, it started the timer on the bomb. Aeryn you have to find Operation Dormouse. It's in the computers at the hotel. It's what Ram had just finished, just before he died. It's a version of the paradise programme: it can scan your brain waves, or whatever, but whatever it does, instead of just giving you a paradise to live in, it stores you in it, like another programme. It can transfer someone's personality, their entire consciousness, into a computer. That's how Ram wanted to live forever. There are others trapped in it, people he used as lab rats. They will never get out: their bodies are dead, but their consciousness is still alive in the computers. We just need to know how to access the programme from outside. There was a list of names. I printed it out. One was marked Mall Rat: Ellie!"

Aeryn took in everything he said, looking straight up into his eyes. When he finished speaking, he bent down to kiss her, but the touch of his lips was weaker, cooler. When she looked at him again, she saw that there was a transparency about him. Pulling him down into her arms, they heard the music grow louder in the background.

_Let me drown in your laughter, ... Let me die in your arms, ..._

I love you, my Annie," he whispered in her ear, "I always will."

"Goodbye," Aeryn answered, then he was gone.

--

As the sun rose on the city, May and her team stepped out of the forest. May turned to Mega, while the company rested, to check on him. His pulse was slowing and his body was cold. Even as May called some of her followers to her, she heard a long breath pass out of Mega's body and when she turned back to him, there was no longer any doubt.

"He's gone," she said.

--

On her bed in the hospital, while Patch and Dee still slept and Josh sat falling asleep over his book, with Cloe's head still resting on his shoulder, Aeryn awoke.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

When May and her team reached the city that morning, Aeryn was up and about and had already told Patch and Dee about seeing Mega when she was unconscious and all he had told Operation Dormouse. As soon as May walked in, she saw Aeryn and stopped. The young men following her with Mega's body also halted. Aeryn saw the look on May's face and knew what lay behind her on the stretcher. It was like the last ounce of hope in Aeryn died. She walked forward towards May, laid her hand on May's shoulder and the girl stepped aside. Aeryn bent down and gently kissed her dead husband's brow. He looked so peaceful, he could have been asleep.

"Take him into the side ward," Aeryn told the young men carrying the stretcher, "The one Jay was in: it's ready for use."

"Is he ... ?" Dee started, then stopped, unable to complete the question.

"Yes," said Aeryn, calmly. It was all she could do to stop the tears flowing; she felt that if she let them start, then they would never stop.

Patch put his arm around Dee's shoulders and drew her close. Aeryn saw them and a thought sprang to her mind.

"How long was I out for?" Aeryn asked Patch.

"Only since yesterday lunchtime," he answered.

"Good. Then you've still got time to find another Best Man. I don't want you to put the wedding off."

"Aeryn ... !"

"No. There is no way I am letting you postpone this. You know he would have wanted you to go ahead with it, on schedule."

"But what about ... ?"

"He's gone. There's nothing we can do about that now. We'll gather together all the Mall Rats, new and old, and we'll hold the funeral later today. Don't worry: I'll arrange all that. You just concentrate on your wedding."

Before there could be any more protests, Aeryn followed May's comrades into the old side room. When she entered, the two young men left, silently, and closed the door behind them.

"I'll try to find the programme," Aeryn said, quietly, "and I'll try to carry on without you. I won't say alone; you're never that in this world these days. And I won't say as normal, because life is never normal: the only thing that stays the same is the fact that things change and life goes on regardless. I wish we'd had more time, but I seem to have been bad luck for you. Ever since we met you've been walking along a thin tightrope line above death; now it seems you've finally lost your balance and fallen. Only this time I couldn't catch you: I just had to watch you fall."

--

Lex yawned as much as ate his way through breakfast. He was just getting up to leave when Josh came running in, almost tripping over his spindly long legs.

"May's back," he puffed, then, after he had caught his breath, he continued: "She brought Mega back; he's dead."

As the boy crumpled up onto a bench, Lex shot a look at Cat, by the sink, then looked over to Salene, Pride and Jay who were sitting round the table.

"Aeryn is awake," Josh continued, "and she is on her way over here with the bunch from the hospital. She wants everyone in the cafe when she arrives."

"I'll go tell the bunch in the nursery," said Salene.

"I'll find Ebony and Siva," said Jay.

"Pride," said Lex, "you work your way from the roof down, I'll head down to the basement and work my way up. Everyone meeting back here A.S.A.P, right?"

The four of them left the room almost immediately, leaving Cat with the washing up.

"Why do little brothers always leave you to clear up," she murmured, not quite out of Josh's hearing.

Having caught his breath, Josh stumbled out of the room and decided to join in the hunt for the Mall Rats. He started out on the level of the cafe and headed in the opposite direction from Jay. The first occupied room he came across was Tai San's.

"Hello, Josh," the petite oriental girl called to him. Josh stepped inside, blushing a little at the thought of being in Tai San's personal space.

"A-Aeryn wants everyone to meet in the cafe as soon as possible," he stammered.

"She's awake then?" Tai San asked.

Josh nodded, then frowned.

"I'd better go," he said, "I've still a lot of people to find."

"Okay," smiled a slightly bemused Tai San.

Josh turned to the door then stopped, thought for a second, then turned back.

"Tai San?"

"Yes?"

"Has Lex ever mentioned anything about having a sister?"

"No, he was an only child. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. I must have heard her wrong."

"Who?"

"Huh? Oh. Cat: in the canteen after the others left. She muttered something, I probably just misheard her."

"I see."

Josh turned to go, paused again for a second, then went on his way. Tai San was left thinking over the events that had passed since they had met Cat, out in the forest. First of all there was their meeting: the attack first, ask questions later approach that Lex was famous for. Then there was their clothes: both dressed so similarly, all in black with only patches of bright, contrasting colour and minimal tribal markings, in fact none in Cat's case. Then there was the likeness that Salene had mentioned last night, when Tai San had gone looking for Lex and, finding only Salene still awake, had been told of Salene's mistaking Cat for Lex. Surely they couldn't be that alike, Tai San told herself as she walked along to the cafe. If they were, wouldn't she have noticed?

--

Jay found Ebony and Siva talking in hushed voices in Ebony's room, but when he walked in they stopped talking. Jay eyed the sisterly pair suspiciously.

"Emergency meeting," he said, "in the cafe as soon as possible."

The girls got up to go. Jay let Siva pass him then blocked Ebony's way. Ebony nodded to Siva to go on without her, then looked up at Jay and folded her arms, waiting for an explanation.

"We need to talk," he said.

--

Pride found Jack and Jetta up in Jack's father's electrical store. He smiled when he saw Jack happy to be working again. It was a shame the news he had was bad.

"Jack," he called from the doorway, "Jetta, there's an emergency meeting being held in the cafe. Come down as soon as you can."

"Y-yeah," stuttered Jack, caught unawares, "We'll be right there."

As Pride left and they heard his footsteps recede down the corridor, Jack turned to Jetta and the two looked at each other worriedly.

"D'you think he knows?" Jetta asked.

"No," Jack shook his head, "I mean, I don't think so. But if he did, I think Pride would be cool about it, I just don't know about everyone else."

--

Lex found Moz in one of the store rooms down in the basement, rooting through rails of clothes.

"Thinking of changing our image are we?" Lex called, startling her.

"Well, it appears there are no longer any Mozzies left," she said, quickly regaining her composure, "so I can't really see the point in wandering around dressed as one, do you?"

"Nah," agreed Lex, leaning nonchalantly against a support pillar, "But then I never thought you really suited that look anyway."

Before Moz found something to throw at him he continued:

"Emergency meeting, up in the cafe, now. I wouldn't try to find something to suit you before you join us, you might miss the whole thing!"

Laughing, he left and headed up the stairs to the ground floor. He found Alice and Denver in Alice's old room and gave them the news, then bumped into Paul and Ryan on their way there and told them the same. The only other room occupied on this level, apart from the nursery, was the one now used by Angie. The night nurse was still asleep when Lex called on her, but took in everything he said once she woke up a little and promised she would be there as soon as she was dressed.

Heading back to the cafe, Lex met Amber wandering in the front entrance of the mall.

"I thought you would be in the nursery with Bray and Zac," Lex said.

"No, I went for a walk. What's up?"

"There's a meeting up in the cafe. We need everyone there as soon as possible. Amber what's wrong?"

"Why should there be anything wrong Lex?" Amber smiled, falsely, sticking her thumbs in the back of her belt and shrugging her shoulders dismissively, "I'm getting married in two days. I have a wonderful son and soon will have a husband who loves me. What could possibly be wrong with that?"

"How about that you don't love him?"

"Now what makes you say that?"

"Amber, I've known you as long as, no, longer that either of us have known Bray. I've watched you change in so many ways but the one thing that never changed was the way you felt about Bray, the way you acted around him. Now it's like your avoiding him, like the only reason for being with him is Zac."

"Isn't that reason enough?"

"No."

--

Salene told the group in the nursery about the meeting Aeryn had called and about Mega's death. Trudy rested her head on Hawk's shoulder and held her daughter close to her. Bray smoothed down his son's unruly blonde hair and frowned. Naduah lifted Ava onto her knee as her husband stood up.

"My wife and I did not know this man," Nocona said, "Also, we are strangers here. We will stay here and look after the children whilst you attend the meeting."

Salene and Bray nodded their thanks, but Trudy said that she would take Brady with her. Hawk followed mother and daughter out of the room, with Salene and Bray following close behind.

--

Tai San was the first to arrive in the cafe and found she had a good opportunity to study Cat alone.

"Where are you from?" Tai San asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Here, there and everywhere really."

"But where were you born?"

"Oh. Well, I don't really have a terribly good memory of the occasion I'm afraid!"

Sarcasm, Tai San thought, just like Lex would use.

"You were born here, were you not?" Tai San continued.

"What?" Cat nearly dropped the dish she was drying in her surprise. How could Lex's wife, clever as she was, have figured that out? Had he said something to her?

"That is as good as admitting it," the younger girl continued, "so why did you tell me that you didn't know the area; that you were new here?"

"I didn't want anyone to recognise me."

"Anyone such as Lex?"

"Just anyone. There are a lot of people I once knew here who would not expect to see me again."

"Such as my husband?"

Cat was spared the trial of answering as Siva entered the cafe. Hearing Tai San refer to Lex as her husband, she stormed up to where the girls stood taking and grabbed the coffee pot from Tai San's hand.

"Excuse me!" Siva spat out as she poured herself a mug of the steaming liquid and stormed over to the farthest corner of the cafe.

--

When Aeryn, Dee, Patch, May and Cloe arrived, the inhabitants of the mall were readily assembled and awaiting them. Although her four companions found themselves seats in the crowded cafe, Aeryn remained standing and addressed the group.

"Some, if not all of you, will have heard that my husband, Mega, was brought back to the city today, dead," Aeryn saw people frown and bow their heads in sympathy as she spoke, but controlling herself, she continued, "There are a number of things that must be discussed. Firstly, I wish to hold my husband's funeral today. This is so that the weddings we have planned for tomorrow and the day after can go ahead without any postponement, as he would have wished. Secondly, some of you may know that I was suddenly taken ill yesterday and remained asleep until this morning. It appears that the time I was unconscious corresponds exactly to the times at which my husband was also knocked unconscious and when he later died from his injuries. During this time, something happened which I cannot explain. As I lay unconscious, I saw my husband. He spoke to me and told me about a project of Ram's that he had found. This project was called Operation Dormouse. It is the programme that allowed Ram to transfer his consciousness over to the computers with the Paradise programme. This means that the programme is still in the computers at the hotel. Mega also retrieved a list of names of people on whom this new technology was tested. One of those listed was one of your number. Her name was Ellie."

Jack's face went pure white when he heard Ellie's name mentioned.

"She-She's alive?"

"No, Jack," Aeryn said softly, "her body is dead. We will never be able to get her out of the computer system. She is trapped there as part of the programme, if Ram did not take it with him when he fully 'died'."

"I'll look into it," said Jay, "although, I could do with your help on the matter, Jack. You're one of the best computer operators we have."

Jack nodded as if in a daze.

"And I am another of them," Aeryn added, "So I will be helping too.

Aeryn paused for a while, looking over at Alice to see how she was taking the news. It appeared that, though looking rather shell shocked, her friend was managing to retain her sanity.

"I know you bury your dead on Eagle Mountain," Aeryn continued, "but we don't have time to get everyone there. Therefore, I would like to hold the funeral in the place I would like to be buried: my family crypt."

"Your what?" Lex cried.

"I know it's a bit more than old fashioned, but my mother's family line goes way back and they've always been buried in their crypt at the city graveyard. It's where I interred my parents when they died and, as the last of my line, it is where I want to be buried as well, beside my husband."

"Sure," said Salene, "We all know where that is. I suggest we meet there at four o'clock. I guess I'll be conducting the ceremony, still being City Leader as yet, but I'd prefer it if someone else did the eulogy."

"I'll do it," said Patch, blankly.

--

The nominations for city leader went much smoother than planned. Contrary to everyone's expectations, including Siva's, who nominated her, Ebony did not accept a nomination for the post and declared that she would not stand. Much to everyone's surprise, Amber stepped forward and nominated Jay, who agreed to stand, but only if Amber would do so herself. Throughout this conversation, though Bray was visibly bristling, Ebony remained silent with a quiet smile on her face. The other nomination for City Leader came from Cat who, much to his surprise, suggested Lex run for the post. Saying he would give it his best shot, Lex took up the challenge and was met with very curious glances from his wife for the rest of the morning. There were two other candidates from outside the Mall: Jet, from the Gulls, and Chrisma. Lex watched Chrisma warily as she took her place on the stand with the other nominees.

After having made their speeches, the candidates left the podium and the crowd dispersed to chew over the choices the morning had given them. The Mall Rats made their way back to the mall, Bray clinging protectively to Amber's arm and Jay and Ebony walking hand in hand, smiling up at each other in a world of their own.

--

The funeral, that afternoon, would remain in the memory of the Mall Rats for the rest of their lives. The crypt was a stark reminder of their history: the world from which they had come. Although Salene did her best with the ceremony, and Patch with the eulogy, the scene was a depressing one. Aeryn's pale face contrasted sharply with the dark shadows as they lowered Mega's shrouded body into the vault of the crypt. Still they saw no tears, but, as she watched her husband's dead body disappear out of sight, Aeryn's heart was breaking inside.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The morning of Dee and Patch's wedding dawned and the mall was almost instantly in uproar. Lex was dragged out by his wife to help pick flowers for the bouquets. Amber was worried that if Trudy took out her Zulu knots, she would never get them back in again. Pride was busy trying to write a Best Man's speech as he had been asked to take Mega's place at the very last minute. Siva and Salene were busy chasing Mouse around the mall because she didn't want to remove her usual tribal markings. Ebony and Jay were helping Nocona and Naduah with the younger children. Sammy was nowhere to be found. Bray was standing over Amber's shoulder going over the details of _their_ wedding for the next day. Moz, Aeryn and Skye were helping Dee get ready and were having rather loud arguments over make-up, which Dee appeared to have no say in whatsoever. Cat had gone to the hospital with Patch, Angie, Josh, Cloe and Jetta. Kaz and Zed, having arrived only shortly before Mega's funeral, were being looked after at the hospital by May and a few others. Paul, Ryan, Alice and Denver had left earlier to go and see Helena. Slade and Jack were sitting in the Cafe, tinkering with an old video camera.

"I think I've got it!" Jack exclaimed.

"Okay," said Slade, "Try it out on something."

"Right."

Jack picked up the camera and flipped open the viewer. Pointing it right at Slade, he pressed the record button. A red light flickered on then, as Jack pressed the zoom in button, a spark jumped from the button and the red light disappeared as Jack dropped the camera.

"OW!"

"What happened?"

"I dunno, it just gave me shock. Something must've shorted."

Taking the camera out of Slade's hand, where he had caught it, Jack once again took the battery out and began unscrewing the panelling.

--

Jay watched Ebony playing with Avenir. She was good with the child, he had to admit that. He was sure that Ebony would make a good mother, but whether or not he would make a good father was beyond him. He had told her that much yesterday morning, before they had joined the rest of the mall in the cafe. He had told her all about the conversation he had had with Amber on the roof; it was that which had persuaded Ebony not to go against him when he nominated Amber for the post of City Leader. It was also their agreement to start trying for a family that had allowed Jay to persuade Ebony into not taking up her nomination, which she had arranged for Siva to place, although there was now no way he could stop her running _his_ campaign for him. Ebony handed Ava back to her mother and turned to where Nocona had just deposited Zac, beside his older cousin. Brady shied away from Ebony and sucked her thumb contemplatively. When Ebony got down on her hands and knees to play with the two, Brady shuffled over and hid behind Jay's legs. Zac played happily with his building blocks.

"You can tell you are your father's son, Zac," Ebony laughed, at which point the toddler rather clumsily picked up a nearby rattle and hit Ebony on the forehead with it.

"Perhaps there's a bit more of his mother in him that you thought," laughed Jay, then, nodding down to Brady, who swung herself round his leg, looked up at him, still sucking her thumb, and sat down heavily on his foot "what about this one?"

"Oh, she's her mother's daughter, definitely," Ebony said, "You are allowed to pick her up, you know."

Jay stooped to pick up the three year old and rested her on his right side. With her free arm the little girl cuddled into Jay, hiding her face from Ebony.

"Well, she likes you anyway," Ebony smiled. Jay smiled in return and brought the child over to where Ebony sat with Zac. Brady tried to burrow deeper into Jay's chest.

"It's okay, Brady," Jay said, soothingly, "There's nothing scary about Ebony. Come on, what's wrong?"

"Eb'ny 'tole my daddy," the child mumbled.

Ebony's face fell. That was something the little girl had got from her mother, undoubtedly. Worse that that: in part, the child was right.

"I wan' mummy," Brady moaned, then started to cry, all the time clinging onto Jay and trying to keep as far away from Ebony as possible. Jay looked round to where Naduah was sitting with Ava on her lap while Nocona was busy rummaging through a large bag.

"What do I do?" Jay said, beginning to panic as the child's crying started to upset Zac too.

"Take her up to her mother," Naduah said as she tickled her daughter's tummy whilst Ava tried to grab her own toes and shove them into her mouth.

Jay obeyed, while Ebony hushed Zac, who immediately blew bubbles at her and went back to his building blocks.

--

Paul crept up to Helena's bedside and gently shook her awake. He signed to her that he had brought his friends from the farm and beckoned them over. Alice came first, carrying Denver who, as soon as he was shown Helena, reached out his little hand to her and grasped a finger of the delicate hand she extended towards him. Next Ryan came over and immediately Helena gasped in recognition. Ryan frowned.

"I recognise you!" Ryan said in amazement.

"From the mines," Helena cried, "you helped me a few times."

"That's right, the guards kept picking on you when you were ill because they said you weren't working hard enough."

"Is this your wife and baby then? I overheard you speaking of them when you were working."

Alice blushed and looked at her feet.

"No," said Ryan, his voice growing solemn again, "My wife had a miscarriage and by the time I got back to her she had moved on and found someone else."

"Oh, that's terrible," said Helena, now feeling rather awkward, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I'm okay with it now. I wasn't to begin with, but I am now. Um, look, I want to speak to Patch. I'll be back in a bit."

As Ryan left, Helena felt worse. First, she'd put her foot in it, unknowingly. Then she had scared him away, her hero. But she had other guests and so, after watching Ryan leave, she turned back to Alice, Denver and Paul.

"Um, so, before I put my foot in it again," Helena said, turning to Alice, "Are you two, um?"

"What? Together?" Alice laughed, "Me and Ryan? No, he's all yours baby. If you can get him to stop thinking about Salene, that is!"

"Salene?"

"She _was_ his wife, the one who lost their baby. Now she has just decided to resign her post of City Leader and join her new sweetheart running the school."

"Why?"

"Well it appears," said Alice, lowering her voice conspiratorially, even though the only person within earshot was Paul and everyone knew the news anyway, "that she is pregnant again, this time with Pride's, her new lover that is, baby!"

"Poor Ryan."

"Yeah, he's a bit cut up about it. He generally spends all his time up at the farm, but these past few days we've been down here all the time and the farm has been left to the other helpers."

"What did you mean when you said he was all mine?"

"Well, honey, it pretty obvious to me," said Alice, jovially, "That you are head over heels in love with the boy!"

--

Patch walked into the old hospital chapel. Josh and Cloe had done a good job, finishing what he and Mega had started. Sometimes it seemed like an age since he had seen his friend, egging him on to propose to Dee or teasing him about his dislike of being called a doctor. At other times it seemed like only yesterday when he, Aeryn and Dee had hurtled up the hospital stairs to the roof to where he had lain, bleeding profusely. He and Aeryn had saved Mega's life at least twice now. Would it have been any different if he had been there this time? Would he have been able to save him again? He would never know now and that was the thought that was killing him. Patch looked round suddenly as he heard a noise behind him. It was Ryan.

"Hey," he called, "How're you doing? Nervous?"

"A bit," Patch answered, "I just wish, y'know, that circumstances were different."

"Yeah, man, we all do."

--

Lex stood with a basket of flowers draped over his arm, leaning against a tree.

"Babe, we're only making three bouquets. Maybe we do need a few for their hair, each, but still, I think we've got enough. If you go on like this, there will be none for Amber and Bray's wedding tomorrow."

"Humph," Tai San sat back on her heels distractedly. She had picked more flowers that she had meant to, but she was still preoccupied thinking about what Josh had said the day before. She couldn't tell Lex that, though. Not yet anyway.

"Come on, tell Lexy what's wrong. You've been out of it all morning and you were pretty spaced out yesterday too."

"Hmm? Oh, I guess it's just a bit weird, having a funeral one day and a wedding the next."

"I know, but Aeryn's right, he would've wanted it this way. And what is it they say: 'with mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage'?"

"That's not a saying, it's from Hamlet, by Shakespeare."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't think of saying that was better suited."

"I'm amazed you thought of it at all! When did you learn Shakespeare?"

Lex looked down at his feet and all around him, unable to answer.

"Let's get back to the mall before these flowers wilt," he said, then started walking.

--

Dee turned and looked at herself in the mirror. The beautiful, high-waisted, white wedding dress looked like something out of a Jane Austin novel. Her hair was tied up in a twist, with strands fanning out all around and two long locks hanging down in front to frame her face. Her make-up, once all arguments had been settled by the bride herself, was perfect. Now they were just waiting on everyone else.

--

Mouse was very happy with her pretty pink dress, but she had still refused to let anyone touch her tribal markings until she saw that Amber was getting the same treatment. The younger girl's hair had been washed, brushed and curled so that tight ringlets now fell around her face, held in place by a few sparkly pink clips. Amber's hair, now devoid of Zulu knots, also hung in curls about her. The long, blonde tresses had been pulled back and a portion of them held back from her face with a large, pink, sparkly clasp. Her make-up was just receiving the finishing touches when Tai San hurried in with the bouquets. Threading a pink wild rose behind each of the girl's left ears, she hurried off to give the bride her posy.

--

Lex rummaged through his closet. He knew he had a suit somewhere. Eventually he found it and proceeded to start getting changed. Tai San stuck her head round the door just as he was pulling on the suit trousers.

"Wash first!" Tai San called. She turned to go, then, as an afterthought, turned back and added: "and get a shave!"

Lex huffed, pulled on a dressing gown, Tai San's as he never usually bothered with one himself, and headed for the bathroom to do as he was told.

--

Cat headed back to the mall to tell everyone that they were ready at the hospital. As she entered the mall, she caught sight of Jack and Slade excitedly running around the balcony, chasing Trudy and Brady with a video camera. Brady was giggling delightedly; her mother was not amused.

"Jack, put that thing down," Trudy wailed, "I'm not fit to be seen on camera, I have to go get changed!"

"You look fine to me," said Hawk coming up from behind her and grabbing her round the waist. When Brady suddenly cowered behind her mother's skirt, Trudy looked down and saw Cat.

"I don't know what it is about me she doesn't like," called Cat, apologetically, "I really didn't mean to scare her."

"Oh, it's okay," said Trudy, picking her daughter up and balancing her on her left hip, "she gets like that with some people, there usually isn't any reason for it. Now boys, I really must go get changed."

Leaving Jack, Slade and Hawk having fun with their new toy, Trudy headed of to her and Hawk's bedroom to get changed for the wedding.

"I wonder why you don't like Cat so much," she said to her daughter.

"Sh's not real," complained Brady.

"Don't be silly Brady, of course Cat's real. She's just new here and no-one really knows her yet."

"Sh' knows Lex."

"That's because he and Tai San found her and brought her here, that's all."

Trudy was sure she hadn't managed to convince her daughter. Sometimes Brady got the strangest ideas onto her head and there was nothing that would get them out again.

--

Back in the hall, Cat shook her head at the three young men, laughing over what they had taped so far. Hearing a noise from the side of her she turned round.

"What _do_ you look like?" Cat chortled as Lex walked back from the bathroom.

Unfortunately, and unknown to Lex, this was heard by the three budding film-makers on the balcony who immediately quietened and found a new target for their camera. The sight of Lex in a short, blue silk dressing gown was too good a one not to attempt recording for future posterity and many days of teasing.

"I, um, had to go, um, shave and so on. You know," Lex nodded to Cat, still unaware of the three observers. As Cat's face creased into laughter lines, he continued, "Look, don't start. I don't have a dressing gown and I needed one so I borrowed Tai's."

"And very nice it looks on you too," Cat replied, barely suppressing laughter, "but I take it you're not going to the wedding like that?"

"No, of course I'm not! I just didn't want to mess up my good suit that's all!"

"Uh-huh. Well, I'll leave you to get changed, but don't think you'll be allowed to forget this incident."

"Oh, I'm sure I can persuade you to keep it just between us. Do you really think anyone else would believe you even if you did mention it?"

"No, but then, they might believe the three, no four other witnesses up there," Cat pointed to the balcony while Lex looked up, mortified to see the camera.

"You are kidding me!"

"The camera never lies, Lex," called Jack, in hysterics.

"I wanna word with you, _mate_!" Lex shouted up the stairs, accusingly, "But it can wait until after the ceremony."

--

Finally, everyone was ready and Dee was led to the hospital and then, blindfolded, to the chapel. When the blindfold was removed, she gasped in awe.

"Y-you said you wanted a traditional wedding," stammered Patch from the far end of the room, "so I figured there was nowhere better for us."

"It's beautiful!" Dee exclaimed.

"It had to be," her betrothed replied, "It's for you."

The wedding ceremony was performed with no major hitches and Jack only tripped over someone's feet a few times trying to get the perfect shot of the couple saying their vows.

"Dee," said Patch, holding both her hands in his, "I swear that, from this day forth, I will love you with all my heart and I will use every last ounce of strength in my body to protect you and serve you all the days of my life."

"Patch," Dee whispered, as tears started to smear her eye make-up, "I swear that, from this day forth, my heart, my body and my soul and yours and yours alone and I will be your strength and your guide whenever you need me to be, even when you don't think you need me there, I'll be there."

"I'll always need you," he whispered.

"If you will now exchange the rings," prompted Salene, then, after the couple did so, she continued: "By the power invested in me as City Leader, I now proclaim you man and wife!"

The cheer that erupted from the aisles behind them was immense. Soon everyone was filing out to let Jack get room to take photographs and so on of the happy couple, the bridesmaids, the best man and Lex. As they were walking down the corridor, Cat stepped up beside Tai San.

"Are you okay, Tai?" Cat asked.

Tai San looked up, startled at Cat having used Lex's nickname for her.

"Yes, I was just thinking, you know, if things had only been different."

"True, but like Aeryn said, Mega would have wanted it this way. I think there's a line in Hamlet that sums it up: 'With mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage', you know."

"Funny, that's what Lex said."

"Really!" Cat's face paled almost imperceptibly.

--

The next day, the mall went through the same chaos, but with different faces. This time the wedding was to be held by the phoenix fountain in the mall, which was working again for the occasion. This time Jack and Slade attempted a more daring film shoot by handing Hawk the camera and shoving him into the bridesmaid's dressing rooms. Trudy and Tai San being the bridesmaids in question, they had no qualms about booting Hawk back out again with a silly message to Jack and Slade recorded on the camera.

Lex was once again prevailed upon to give Amber away and Ryan to be Bray's best man and, when all were assembled, forming a long guard of honour to the staircase with Bray and Ryan at the foot of the stairs and Salene a few steps up, Lex offered his arm to Amber and walked her down the aisle.

"Are you sure you're sure about this?" Lex whispered in her ear.

"Too late now!" Amber answered and tried to keep smiling.

"It's not over until you say those vows."

"It's not as if I have much choice!"

Reluctantly, as they neared the alter, Lex held his tongue and kept smiling. He gave Amber one last "you don't have to do this if you don't want to" look, then passed her to Bray. Salene started the ceremony.

Unseen, a young blonde haired man walked in through the mall door. Please let her still be here, he thought, please let her still remember me. Seeing the crowd he walked round to where he could see what was going on. There was a wedding in progress. He didn't recognise the groom, but as the groom was just about to say his vows, the wanderer remained silent. When the bride lifted her head, he caught a glimpse of her face. No, he thought, she can't! There were only seconds in which to make his choice, seconds upon which the happiness of at least three people would depend. He chose to speak.

"Amber," called the stranger, "No, don't do it. Don't marry him!"

Amber looked up as the entire mall turned to look at the stranger in their midst. He was here. He couldn't have known the feelings she still harboured for him; couldn't have known that they had been causing her heart's turmoil for the past few days since Bray returned to normal.

But he was here, and now that he was, she had a choice. Looking round at Lex, she saw him nod his support. Her choice was made.

"Sasha!" Amber cried, running to him in her pale blue wedding gown. Her lost love enfolded her in his arms, overjoyed at having found what he came back for.

--

The mall was in limbo after Amber's escape from matrimony. She had disappeared with Sasha, returning in the middle of the night to collect her clothes with some help from Lex, who was now being continuously glared at by Bray. It was two days after Amber's disappearance that Cat decided it was time for her to leave.

"But you can't go now," Lex protested as they spoke in his room, "I've, we've only just begun to get to know you."

"I have to go, you know I do," Cat told him, "You already know everything there is to know about me, literally, as well as a lot more besides. I will always have a link to you now, as will you to me. You don't need me here, but if you ever do, I'll know and I'll come back. Don't worry, little brother, you're not on your own this time."

"I knew it!" Tai San exclaimed from the doorway behind them. Neither had known she was there.

"Tai San!" Lex cried, jumping up in surprise.

"What did you know Tai San?" Cat asked.

"About you two," Tai San answered, "Your being brother and sister. Salene said she saw a striking resemblance between you, then Josh said he thought he heard you mutter something about little brothers in the cafe. Then I watched the two of you and you were so alike I was sure Josh must have heard right. You even said the same thing to me when I mentioned the effect of Mega's death on Patch and Dee's wedding. You both quoted the exact same line from Hamlet! The only thing I haven't worked out yet is how Lex knew it!"

"Ah, well, it appears you have us," Cat said, "the last mystery there can be easily solved though: I used to read Shakespeare out loud in the house when we were younger, Lex must have learned the line from there. But we would appreciate this if you did not mention our relationship to anyone, it would only occasion too many questions and I really should be leaving anyway."

"Whatever you wish," Tai San answered, "but I would first like to know why Lex did not recognise you when we met in the forest, nor you him?"

"That is simple. I am, as you see, older than Lex. I ran away from home when I was still very young and we had not seen each other since. Therefore, neither of us knew what the other looked like or, indeed, if either of us were still alive."

Tai San nodded. Lex moved forward to her.

"Are you okay about this Tai?" Lex asked, "Believe me, I only found out myself the night Mega died."

"Yes, it's okay, we'll have plenty time to talk about things later."

"I have my bags packed and I've already said goodbye to the rest of the Mall Rats. Lex, will you walk out with me, just as far as a few streets?"

Lex nodded and followed his sister out of the mall and into the city. It was early morning and there was a fine mist around them. They walked together, talking of things that had happened in the past. When Cat got to a quiet spot she turned to Lex and the two siblings embraced. As they did so, the now familiar flow of knowledge and memories passed between them.

"Goodbye little brother," Cat said when they parted, "I'll see you again one day."

"Goodbye, sis," said Lex. As he watched her turn away, he raised his hand to wave then, feeling tears spring into his eyes used it to wipe them away instead. When he next looked up, Cat was gone. She had disappeared into the mists. He was sure, nonetheless, that they would meet again one day, as she had said.


	29. Epilogue

What I wrote, before I went on to write more:

**Vital Statistics**

This story, not including its prequel, S4 Follow-On, contained 49,545 words, 266,196 characters and measures 118 pages. I have lost track of the number of characters and the number of days, but I do know we have seen one birth, one death, one funeral, one successful wedding, one unsuccessful wedding and one death in flashback as well as an up and coming pregnancy and election.

Counting S4 Follow-On, which measured a poultry 13,310 words, 72,009 characters and 31 pages in comparison, I have written a total of ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE PAGES, COMPRISING SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE WORDS MADE UP OF THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHT THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE CHARACTERS!!

This is approximately four times as much as I have written for my novel, which I have been working on for about three and a half years as compared to about three and a half months! I could not have done this without all your wonderful support. Thank you everyone.

And finally, in the words of Bilbo Baggins, an extraordinary Hobbit, _"I regret to announce that ... this is the end. I am going. I am leaving now. Good-bye!"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Epilogue - Cat's Story

"_It's been two months since I left my brother. I know where he is, but he has no idea where I am, only that I am safe. When I left, the link between us was, well, shall we say - sufficient? I know there are some of you out there who don't understand "magic" or even believe in it, but for those of you who want to believe, let me try and explain._

_When I found out my brother, although I wasn't actually sure he was my brother at the time, couldn't read, I did try to do what I told him I did do: I tried to hypnotise him and regress part of his memory to a time when it could read, even if it was poorly, then bring that knowledge back to the surface. What I didn't realise was that my darling little brother had dyslexia and a) had enough trouble learning to read with just that, b) had most of the kids in the school teasing him for having a sister who disappeared as well as his being 'stupid', c) had a teacher who did the same and d) didn't want to learn to read anyway. That one was partly my fault, I always had my nose in a book when I should have been playing with him, as did Mum and Dad. Because of all this, there wasn't a time in his memory where he could actually read - there was nothing for me to bring back!_

_What I did next would have worked exactly as I had expected it to had we not already been related. I formed a psychic link between us: it should have been only temporary, lasting long enough to transfer some of my knowledge across, one-way, then fading away. What happened was that the latent power in Lex was activated, as was our blood-bond - the bond that occurs in all siblings, whether they have the power or not, although it is stronger in those who do. This meant that instead of forming a temporary, one-way link, we formed a two-way, permanent one. I knew, of course, as soon as I started seeing some of his memories when he was seeing mine - that he was my brother was the only explanation that would cover it. To begin with, the link could only be activated by touch: although he shared all my knowledge, Lex's power was still weak and in its infancy; he still had to learn to use it and to tap into the knowledge we shared. When we parted, the link would work with scrying, but he still doesn't know how to do that. Eventually, if he ever figures out how to exercise his psychical muscles instead of his physical ones, the link will become fully telepathic. That the only thing about this situation that scares me: I don't want my brother knowing my every move if and when he wants to; plus, I'm sure he doesn't want me knowing his every thought either._

_But anyway, you're wondering what's been happening these past two months aren't you. Some things I can tell you, I get a lot of information scrying for Lex, and others I can only guess at. Firstly, let me tell you about the election. That was something I kept a close eye on, with Chrisma in the running. The girl is not a witch, don't get me wrong - she has no real power herself, but she had made a few powerful friends. There are two types of magic: one that makes use of the way the natural laws work and the power within the person working the magic themselves, this can be done alone; and another which makes use of what happens when the natural laws are broken, this must be done in groups, usually of three, and the individuals have no power alone. These groups are what you might know as covens; Chrisma belongs, sorry, belonged to one of these covens._

_With only four candidates for the election after Amber left, the campaigns were rather peaceful, thankfully, on Jay and his enthusiastic campaign manager, Ebony's, part. Jet did her best, but apart from her own tribe and a few of her neighbours, she was never going to get many votes. It became a 'three-horse-race'._

_Jay and Ebony's wedding got them a lot of the voting population on their side, as did the stunning news that the old sheriff was cleverer that he had seemingly pretended to be, but there was something strange going on in Chrisma's camp._

_About two days after their wedding, Jay became ill. Nobody was too sure what was causing it: neither Patch, nor Aeryn, nor my brother and I together. Jay's symptoms seemed to change frequently, usually just as we got close to figuring out what the problem might be. It was that regularity of timing that first hinted the problem wasn't medical. About three days into the mystery illness, I sent Lex back to the library. When he was there we could communicate easily without fear of being found out, there was no telling what damage such information could do to his campaign. Filing through books I had never dared to study too closely, we found a section on curses. Many of you may not believe in such things, but I assure you, they are quite real, and quite harmful if done properly. After almost a whole night's searching we found the curse in question, alongside it's reversal spell; these things are always kept together in case a spell goes wrong, generally witches were never so stupid as to learn a curse and not its cure as well, simply because they are the ones who suffer when one of their spells go wrong. Reversing the spell was simple; proving who had cast it, even though we were quite sure why, was not so. At this stage, there was no way of knowing if Chrisma herself was a witch, and in such a case, a dangerous opponent as the other two members of her coven would stick by her regardless, or simply buying spells from them._

_I led my brother to one of the dusty, leather-bound volumes that I did know well and helped him through his first actual spell. It was a mirror spell; one that reflects any curses cast upon the wearer back upon the person who cast them. We cast the spell four times, once for him, once for Jay, once for Jet and lastly once for Chrisma. If Chrisma were to suffer the same illness, we would know for certain she had cast it herself, as the mirror does not protect against curses cast by the wearer. Sure enough, two days later, Chrisma fell ill and, according to Patch showed all the same symptoms as Jay had. She knew, of course, that someone had found her out, although she could not know whom. The next day it was reported that she had been seen leaving the city; with her were two other girls of around the same age and they dragged a small hand cart behind them, filled and covered. The election continued._

_What, you may ask, was happening to all the other Mall Rats while all this was going on? Well, most were busy with one or another of a number of projects. Patch was, of course, busy studying the books Lex and I had given him after his wedding and Dee spent most of her time either studying with him or helping Jetta and Angie in the hospital. Tai San took over the herb garden at the farm while Aeryn, Jack and, when he had time, Jay were busy with the computers at the hotel._

_Operation Dormouse proved to be a puzzle it took all three of them over a month to crack. Even now, they are still working on retrieving all of the data. I wish it had been otherwise, but as you've probably guessed, it was Jack who found Ellie. I'm glad I had met them all, apart from Ellie of course, because it meant that I could easily keep an eye on them whether my brother was visiting or not, although, unlike Lex, they didn't know I was watching. The computers that had been used for the project were situated in a room in the basement of the hotel, the walls of this room being lined with stacks of CDs. There were headsets ready to be attached, but without being sure of their safety, Jay wouldn't let either of his companions put them on, regardless of how much Aeryn was willing. It took them three weeks to find the programming and decode it. Once they were sure the program's ability to trap them was disabled, they could then work on finding out who was in there. The list of names that came up was endless. Each name had a different CD identification number attached to it and, thankfully, the CDs were still in order with the exception of one stack, which had been knocked down some time ago and now lay strewn across the floor. The team started to put these in order but found that some of the labels had peeled off and some cases were open and the discs scattered. The only way to get the discs back in order was to go in and find out who was on them. Aeryn went in first, protesting that she had the least to lose if anything did go wrong, although, thankfully, nothing did. Jack went in on another system and Jay stayed outside, ready to pull them back out should anything suspicious start happening. It was after about two hours of this that Jack loaded up the iridescent, pink, unmarked disc._

_I couldn't follow Jack. I couldn't hear him or Ellie. All I could do was watch the monitor from over his shoulder, just like Jay. I saw Jack stumble out of an outbuilding to see the farm before him. I saw him look around in recognition and worry. I watched as the blonde haired girl appeared at the doorway of the farm then ran towards him, throwing her arms around him ecstatically. How do you tell someone you love that they are already dead, no more than a computer program? It was what Jack had to do and, to his credit, it was exactly what he did. The girl, whom I could only presume to be Ellie, obviously had had no idea of what was going on; the shock was apparent on her face and Jack almost had to catch her at one point. He still loved her, that much was obvious, but he kept her at arms length while he sat her down and talked things over with her. I don't know what he told her, but the girls face went as pale as a sheet. You can see why I wish it hadn't been Jack who had loaded up that CD._

_Getting the news to everyone in each of the CDs was a lengthy business, although Aeryn, I believe has plans for the system now that they know how to manipulate it. According to my brother, she wants to link up as many systems as she can and load everyone into them, to form a virtual reality community which should, hopefully, make post-death lives of all these test subjects a little closer to normal and a little easier to bear._

_By the time Jay felt he could leave the project in Jack and Aeryn's hands, the election day was dawning. There was a good turnout at least. As I expected, Jet did well, but not well enough. The remaining votes were divided almost equally between Jay and my little brother. It had been a close run thing, but in the end the city had found my brother's better-that-expected knowledge and abilities more impressive than Jay's preoccupation with Operation Dormouse, important as it had been. I still find it hard to believe that he won. My brother! My little baby brother, whom I left in his cot so many years ago, is City Leader! Of course, I would never have nominated him if I hadn't thought he could do the job._

_Amber came back, briefly. She took her son, as well as most of his things, and left before Bray found out she was there. He was heartbroken of course, having only found his son then losing him again like that. It was cruel of Amber, but mothers find it hard to be parted from their children and she had known her son all his life, whereas Bray had not, nor had Zac known Bray that long. It appears that she is resolved to stay with Sasha, although she promised Trudy that she would return every now and then, just to see how things were._

_Cloe and Josh are still "Just Friends", although it is clear to my brother and I that that is not what Josh would prefer. I wonder if Cloe will ever get over Ved? If she does, I hope she still has Josh around, I don't think she could ask for some one to love her more._

_Lastly, I found out a few interesting notes just yesterday. Salene and Pride, having taken up their posts in charge of the new school, have decided to get married, as have Hawk and Trudy. My brother is complaining that he is plagued with weddings, typical Lex really! After all, now that he is City Leader, he does have to officiate at them!_

_Ebony worried us for a while. She seemed to have some of the same symptoms as Jay had when Chrisma and her coven cursed him. When Patch examined her, however, the cause of the trouble was easily spotted: she was pregnant! She was absolutely over the moon when she and her husband stood up in the cafe and announced their news to everyone. Jay, of course, reminded her that it was just as well he had persuaded her not to stand for City Leader, as she would have had enough to cope with just being pregnant. It appeared that this had been what all the secrecy was about: Jay had not only asked Ebony to marry him two months ago, but had also agreed that they start trying for a family. Now that agreement was paying off and he certainly seemed as happy about it as his wife._

_Aeryn spent all of her time concentrating on Operation Dormouse and, had it not been for Tai San, her herb garden would have grown into a tangled mess of weeds. She also started looking pale and sickly about six or seven weeks after her husband's death. Jack suggested to her that she might be pregnant, but she shook her head, telling him that it wasn't possible. Aeryn explained that, back in the days when she had been known as Annie, she had been found to have a cyst, a tumour that, while it wasn't found to be cancerous, had grown inside her on one of her ovaries. That organ had had to be removed and the chances of her now having fallen pregnant after one night with her husband were pretty slim. Patch is still trying to find some other explanation. As far as I'm concerned, if magic works, then miracles can happen._

_My brother needs me: I must go now. Goodbye."_

* * *

Part 3: One More For The Road can be found here: /s/4539809/1/YouLiveYouLearnPt3OneMoreForTheRoad


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